Activities at Chacombe Park Care Home
We understand that the people we support have passions and interests that could be difficult to pursue after moving into a care home – but that doesn’t mean we don’t encourage them to try! Some hobbies can define a person, so our Activities Coordinators are dedicated to ensuring that everyone we support is able to do what makes them happy to the best of their abilities. Social events are organised with individual tastes in mind and with the idea that residents have the opportunity to try new and exciting things.
Heather Gooch
My name is Heather and I am the Head of Activities here at Chacombe Park. My role is to ensure that all residents are supported in enjoying hobbies and events that enrich their life.
I have a Bachelors degree in Theatre Performance, as well as a PGCE in Secondary Drama. I have previously worked for another Barchester home back in 2012 before working as a secondary school teacher, teaching Drama at both GCSE and A Level. I have a passion for person centred care, which has come from my love of pastoral work during my time as a teacher. I want each resident to feel appreciated and supported to enjoy the skills/hobbies that they have treasured before their time at Chacombe.
In my spare time I enjoy singing, cross stitch and learning new skills. I endeavour to bring these hobbies and passions into my role here at Chacombe, as well as learn some new skills from the vast range of knowledge that our residents can bring!
Read our brochure 'Life-enriching activities' for more information about life in our care homes.
Read our brochure
Activities and Events Partnerships
As part of our bespoke life-enrichment programmes, we host a number of live virtual events in the home on a regular basis through a number of partnerships with places of interest and world class performance companies
Life at Chacombe Park Care Home
Ice-cream delight
The team organised for a vintage ice cream van to visit the home for all residents and staff to enjoy.
Adventures in the minibus
Residents love to visit and explore new places, this month they have enjoyed visiting Coventry Cathedral where they learnt about the vast history of the old Cathedral and the stark difference between the old and the new modernised Cathedral, residents were also able to join a short service of prayer in the Cathedral. We have also been out Sunflower picking at Glebe Farm, the field was full of gorgeous sunflowers and residents were able to pick their own stems to bring home.
Making wishes come true
Team members make a wish to come true, resident Wendy spoke about how she’d love to go swimming again, so we did just that. The team organised an outing to the open air swimming pool in Banbury, where Wendy enjoyed a morning in the pool followed by hot chocolate and cake on the pools edge.
Tour De Barchester
Chacombe Park welcomed the Tour De Barchester. Riders took on a mammoth 211 mile ride across the country raising money for Barchester’s charitable foundation. Our hospitality team laid on a delicious breakfast spread day, including bacon butties, fresh pastries and fresh fruit to keep the cyclists well fuelled and the school children came along to help cheer the cyclists on, enjoying breakfast with us too. Congratulations Team Barchester!
Lavender fields
The team organised a minibus trip to The Cotswold Lavender fields, were residents enjoyed a delicious picnic amongst the sea of purple before exploring fields full of various types of lavender, enjoying the beautiful aromas of the lavender flowers and taking a walk on the wild side in the wildflower meadow, which was filled with poppies, cornflowers, daisies and more, it was simply beautiful.
Seasonal fruit picking
Residents enjoyed a wonderful day out at our local PYO farm where they picked punnets of beautifully red strawberries, which were later enjoyed with fresh cream and a cup of tea.
