Activities at Chater Lodge Care Home

Staff and residents at Chater Lodge Care Home continue to support the Food Bank Second Helpings.  The local Food Bank aims to fill bellies and not bins and also to help with the environment. 

Over the past couple of weeks staff collected tinned items along with pasta, rice, breakfast cereals, tea and coffee as well as little extras including chocolates, and toiletries. The staff at Chater Lodge know their donations will be put to good use supporting a community. 

Every Thursday we are able to take our residents to places of interest. We are lucky to have a Barchester bus for the residents use every week.

We often go to different garden centres, record shops and sometimes to community coffee mornings. All the ideas of trips are put forward in our resident meetings.

Every Thursday we love getting out and about taking residents to a variety of places of interest. Thanks to the Barchester Minibus we are able to enjoy these regular adventures. From garden centres to community coffee mornings, all of our trip ideas are suggested by residents, making sure everyone has something to look forward to. 

Our latest minibus was to a local garden centre, exploring the colourful seasonal flowers and fresh vegetables. It was a lovely trip filled with fresh air, conversations and smiles. 

Chater Lodge was full of animal mischief this week when a couple of adorable baby lambs came to visit the home.  The heart-warming event filled the home with smiles, laughter, and a wonderful sense of connection, as residents, staff, and visiting family members gathered to meet the fluffy new arrivals from Phoenix Lambs.

The visit was a sensory delight, as residents could gently stroke the lambs’ soft wool, hold them close, and learn about their care and early life. Many residents reminisced about past experiences with farm animals and sparked lively conversations about childhood visits to the countryside, family farms, and memories of springtime in years gone by. 

Residents, their loved ones and staff welcomed in the New Year in style with a truly wonderful New Year's Eve celebration. The day was made even more special with the beautiful voice of Gabriella, who captivated everyone with a stunning rendition of ‘Alleluia’ before bringing the night to a heartfelt close with the traditional ‘Auld Lang Syne’. 

The atmosphere was warm and joyful as residents enjoyed delicious refreshments and raised a glass of Prosecco to celebrate the year ahead. Laughter, smiles and plenty of cheer filled the room as everyone came together to mark this special occasion. We wish a very Happy New Year to all our friends and family at Chater Lodge. Here’s to a year filled with happiness, health and memorable moments.          

The residents got creative with a festive Christmas wreath making session. 

The talented residents created wonderful wreaths that now adorn the home, making it smell wonderful.  

What a stunning day the residents had meeting the lambs at 16 weeks old in the sunshine. 

Billy and Bobby came from Phoenix Lambs created a lot of joy, and it was an enriching experience. It was emotionally uplifting and good for sensory stimulation.

Having animals to visit has cognitive benefits for dementia residents and can give a comforting sense of connection. Having the lambs to visit is a great social engagement for families to visit and share the experience. Animals bring calming presents that eases anxiety,

We were treated to a truly wonderful afternoon when the Ketton Bell Ringer joined us, filling the room with beautiful traditional songs. The residents were delighted to take part as the group kindly taught everyone how to ring “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star”. 

There were lots of smiles as residents had a go and enjoyed being part of the music making.  

On the 14th of January, the Cub House in Ketton was buzzing with excitement as our very Resident Ambassador Mike paid a visit. The aim was to give the Cubs a fascinating insight into his career in the British Army and Mike delivered in style. 

Drawing on an incredible 40-year military career, Mike shared his journey from joining as a private to rising through the ranks to become a Major, leading and mentoring over 200 soldiers. His stories brought the Army to life, painting a vivid picture of dedication, teamwork, challenges and achievement. The Cubs were fully engaged and eager to learn, firing off brilliant questions ranging from what it’s like to be inside a tank and whether he encountered snakes while serving in the jungle. Mike answered with enthusiasm, humour and honesty.  The evening concluded on a high with an army salute and a march around the Cub House.        

Resident Ambassador Mike at Chater Lodge care home, in Ketton recently enjoyed visiting the local Cubs to impart his career knowledge.

On the 14th of January, the Cub House in Ketton was buzzing with excitement as our very Resident Ambassador Mike paid a visit. The aim was to give the Cubs a fascinating insight into his career in the British Army and Mike delivered in style. Drawing on an incredible 40-year military career, Mike shared his journey from joining as a Private to rising through the ranks to become a Major, leading and mentoring over 200 soldiers.

The residents' family and friends welcomed the Ketton Hand Bell ringers. It was a wonderful morning of entertainment, people clapped their hands and sang along to the wonderful sound. We then listened to Zoe and Paul playing the Melodeons, which they had been playing for years.

A resident's family member said: “The bells have really got me into the Christmas spirit.   

This week the team from Chater Lodge dropped off a basket of donations. The Chater Lodge Care Home is proud to support @Second Helpings – Stamford and have a Food Bank Donation drop-off point at the entrance to our home.

Second Helpings is a project run in partnership with Stamford Methodist Church and the whole community. Based in the heart of Stamford, their volunteers work with local suppliers and supermarkets to redistribute surplus food nearing its best-before date to the community. Their aim is to ‘feed bellies, not bins’ and they are passionate about reducing food waste and working with the community to reduce our environmental impact.

Any non-perishable food items will be gratefully received for this brilliant local cause.        

Near Valentine’s Day, residents enjoyed an informative and engaging session led by Karen, our retired nurse volunteer.

Karen shared helpful advice on maintaining good heart health, including the importance of a balanced diet, relaxing activities such as tai chi, recommended weekly alcohol limits, and the benefits of walking. She explained how the heart works and spoke about her experience witnessing open-heart surgery. The residents found this fascinating. Residents even had the chance to learn how to check their own pulse at the wrist and neck, making the session both practical and empowering. 

A big thank you to Karen for an interesting and educational talk. 

Residents were treated to a fabulous performance from our very own Elvis! Tony, Head of Maintenance, stepped into the spotlight to deliver a lively and heartfelt tribute in celebration of Elvis Presley’s birthday. 

Singing a wonderful melody of classic hits, Tony had everyone singing and tapping their feet in no time. The afternoon was filled with nostalgia and joy as residents enthusiastically joined in, singing along to much loved songs such as ‘Love Me Tender’ and ‘Can’t Help Falling in Love with You’. Laughter, applause and plenty of Elvis spirit made it a truly memorable event. They were enjoyed by all who attended.           

The residents Christmas parties went down with a swing, with special guest singer Tony, our homes maintenance man, making it a whole home approach, residents and their families enjoyed dancing along to The classic Christmas tune from Michael Bublé to songs from the Rat pack.         

Festive Christmas treats and everyone enjoyed a glass of their favourite tipple.

The residents’ families and friends were delighted to welcome the local village cub group and their leaders for a special evening of entertainment. The Cubs performed brilliantly, and it was amazing to see that the age gap didn’t stop the cubs from interacting with the residents. 

One resident said ”Brings back memories of myself when I was younger."

An evening of intergenerational fun.