Activities at Cookridge Court Care Home

Excitement is running high in the home where the talented hospitality team led by head chef, Sinead Ruddock have been named the winners of the annual Barchester Easter Cake competition for the North East and Scotland Division.

Each year hospitality teams from Barchester homes and hospitals up and down the country compete for the coveted Easter Cake of the Year title.  The competition is run by the central hospitality team and the bar is set very high. Many of Barchester’s chefs are trained in patisserie and the Easter cake designs are very elaborate and highly technical.  Competition is fierce and only the very best recipes and designs will prevail.

The fabulous cake is designed as an “A Field of Crocuses” and Inspiration came from spring, as the home have crocuses and daffodils coming into bloom in our local area.  The cake is based on a traditional Victoria sponge but with a layer of black cherry instead of the tradition jam and whipped fresh cream. All the petals and leaves are hand piped butter cream, and are all edible.

Here at Cookridge Court we have a varied life enrichment programme and this week we had a little fun trying on different hats - styles, colours and shapes - as part of our entertainment, along with a musical memories and a sing-a-long and making our own music with different instruments.

These smiles say it all! It was an afternoon filled with song, fun and laughter and we can't wait for the next impromptu session.

Lovely afternoon reading session at Cookridge Court with a visit from the local primary school as part of our World Book Day celebrations.

Residents love our intergenerational links we have in the local community and talk soon turned into a reminiscence session as they shared fond memories of their own children dressing up for World Book Day.

Residents loved seeing the children dressed up! Thank you for visiting our home today!

Residents at Cookridge Court enjoy their regular and popular group activities and this week showed their artistic flair with an art class with Tracey from Creative Minds yesterday afternoon! 

I think we have some artists at Cookridge Court! 

Well done to the residents for taking part in the class and thank you to Tracey for showing us the way!

Our Head Chef Sinead has been hard at work this morning, baking some traditional Hamantash sweet treats to share amongst our residents, while we hear the story of Purim. This festival is a favourite amongst many of our residents and staff here, even those of non Jewish faith... we especially love to see all of your costumes!

If you're celebrating today, please show us in the comments section by posting some photos, we'd love to see them and hear your plans!

Hi, I’m Bentley.. Your friendly neighbourhood sausage dog!

Or you can address me by my new official title.. CCO of Cookridge Court. (Chief Canine Officer)

I first came to Cookridge Court in February 2024, I originally just came for the free food, however I stayed to support my new humans. I quickly realised they needed a dog just like me.

Rest assured, your people are in my safe paws. I have an open cage policy so please feel free to say hello when you pop by and bring treats I can be bribed with anything…. Except Sausages!!!!