Activities at Edingley Lodge Care Home

We enjoyed a lovely minibus trip out to Southwell Methodist Church to visit their wonderful Christmas Tree Festival. 

The church was filled with a spectacular collection of Christmas trees, each beautifully and imaginatively decorated by local schools, community groups and businesses. Every tree had its own unique theme, and it was a joy to explore them all.

We took our time walking around, admiring the creativity on display, and afterwards we sat together with a nice cup of tea or coffee to round off the morning perfectly.

It was especially lovely to have family and friends join us — sharing the experience made it feel even more festive. The residents commented on how nice the trip was and how much they enjoyed the outing.

We had the most wonderful evening on Wednesday celebrating Bonfire Night together! Everyone gathered to watch our fantastic firework display — some residents wrapped up warm to enjoy the show from the patio, while others watched from the comfort of indoors. We kept cosy with mulled wine and hot chocolates topped with cream and marshmallows, which went down a treat. 

Later, we tucked into a delicious spread of proper bonfire food — hot dogs, burgers, fried onions, chips and mushy peas — followed by chocolate-covered marshmallows for dessert.  It was lovely to see so many family members and friends come along to attend the celebrations. The smiles and warmth of the evening made it truly special for everyone involved.      

To celebrate World Food Day, we spent the afternoon tasting delicious cuisines from all around the world — and what a treat it was! 

We prepared a wonderful selection of dishes and took them around the home so everyone who wanted to could have a taste. From Turkish baklava and French macarons to Italian puff pastry treats, every bite was full of flavour!

We also enjoyed falafel and hummus as well as tortilla chips with salsa and guacamole inspired by Mexico 🇲🇽, and some classic Indian onion bhajis and samosas served with tasty mango chutney.

Alongside the tasty treats, we added some fun with an Oomph! World Food Quiz on our trolley — testing everyone’s knowledge about international dishes and ingredients! Our residents loved trying something new (and revisiting a few favourites!) — there were lots of smiles and great conversations about travel, food, and memories.      

We celebrated Elf Day in the most joyful way — with lots of laughter, music, and plenty of festive spirit! Our staff came dressed as elves, bringing smiles to everyone’s faces. The residents thought it was absolutely hilarious.

In the afternoon, we were lucky enough to have the wonderful children from Halam Primary School visit us. They sang their hearts out and put on the loveliest performance. There were classic Christmas songs that everyone knew and happily joined in with, as well as a few new ones that the residents really enjoyed hearing. The room was filled with singing and many happy faces.

A small group of children also kindly visited one of our residents in her room and sang by her bedside. 
It was a truly beautiful and touching visit, and something we will all remember. Our residents have not stopped talking about how amazing the children were — it really was a wonderful afternoon filled with festive cheer.   

We take a moment to pause, reflect, and honour all those who have served and sacrificed — the brave men and women who gave so much for our freedom. 

Over the last few weeks, our residents have been busy preparing something special to mark this important time. During our Knit and Natter sessions and in their own free time, residents have been knitting beautiful poppies. as well as painting or making card poppies during craft sessions.

On Friday, we came together to assemble our handmade creations into a wreath for our home, which is now proudly displayed by the entrance. It’s a lovely and heartfelt symbol of remembrance, made with care and love by everyone here.  

We had the most wonderful morning welcoming the Bits & Bobs Playgroup to our home! The mums and babies joined our residents for a fun-filled intergenerational session led by the lovely Grace!

The children absolutely loved exploring! They ran around the lounges, peeked into different rooms, and brought so much energy and joy wherever they went. The bubbles were a huge hit, and they finished the morning off with some lovely music time. 

The smiles, giggles, and chatter lit up the whole home — our residents were over the moon, and it really created such a happy atmosphere.   

Today is also World Mental Health Day, and we couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate. Moments like these are such a lovely reminder of how important connection, laughter, and kindness are for our wellbeing — no matter our age.

We had a truly wonderful afternoon this week celebrating our residents' and family's Christmas party, filled with laughter, music, and festive cheer.

The fun began with a surprise visit from a reindeer wandering around the home — brilliantly played by one of our staff members! It was absolutely hilarious and had everyone smiling and laughing, setting the perfect tone for the afternoon and getting everyone into the Christmas spirit. We then enjoyed our residents’ Christmas party, where everyone relaxed with a glass of sherry or Baileys and tucked into a delicious buffet prepared by our chef.

We were delighted to welcome the lovely Beaver group from Southwell, who performed for us and sang beautiful Christmas carols. The residents thoroughly enjoyed it, sitting with big smiles on their faces and making sure to tell the children just how much they loved the performance.

To say thank you, we made sure the children had plenty of cake before they left, while they chatted with our residents — a really heart-warming moment and a perfect end to a lovely evening. A truly special Christmas celebration for everyone involved.  

In the afternoon, we concentrated on celebrating International Men’s Day. Our planned trip to the pub didn’t quite work out… so we decided to bring the pub to our gentlemen instead! 

We put together a proper pub-style trolley stocked with pork scratchings, nuts, crisps, and a selection of beers, and visited the gentlemen’s rooms to give them their own mini-pub experience right here at home. One of our residents said it reminds him of happy memories that we reminisced on together. 

A day full of creativity, fun, and thoughtful moments.    

On Tuesday, our home was filled with pink, positivity and purpose as we celebrated Wear It Pink Day to raise awareness for Breast Cancer Now. Both residents and staff joined in the fun — dressed in every shade of pink imaginable! The lounge looked beautiful, decorated in pink to match everyone’s outfits.

In the afternoon, we enjoyed delicious homemade cakes and scones made by our wonderful chef — the perfect way to celebrate together. We took cakes around to residents’ rooms (all dressed in pink, of course!) and everyone was so grateful, saying how tasty they were.

It was a truly lovely and meaningful day — full of fun and colour. We’re so proud to support such an important cause.      

Emergency Services Day was a day truly fun-filled and meaningful, as we came together to celebrate Emergency Services Day and say a heartfelt thank you to those who do so much for us. In the morning, we were delighted to welcome members of the ambulance service, and In the afternoon the firefighters joined us too. Both were gifted cakes to enjoy here with us, as well as sweet treats and extra cakes to take back to share with their colleagues—they were so grateful, and it was lovely to see their smiles. 

We also made sure our nurses and local surgeries knew how appreciated they are, with a few little goodies to brighten their day. The real joy came from the chats, the smiles, and the gratitude shared—it reminded us just how important it is to stop and acknowledge the amazing work these teams do every single day. Thank you to all who keep us safe, supported, and cared for—you are truly appreciated.