Activities at Elm Bank Care Home

The residents and staff of Elm Bank care home in Kettering enjoyed an amazing morning celebrating Burns Night with some traditional Highland Dancers.

Staff and residents at the home were very excited in welcoming Highland Dancers to come and perform at the home on the morning of Burns Night, which marked the start of the celebrations at the home. Dancers from Lesley School of Highland Dance, based in Corby came to the home in the morning and put on a spectacular show of dance for all the residents and staff. The residents and staff, enjoyed many performances throughout the morning, beaming with smiles as they watched the dancers. The dancers performed many dances including, Highland Fling, Sword Dance, Village Maid, Scotch Measure, Flora, Barracks Johnny and Hullachan to name a few.

Lesley, who runs the school has been open for 37 years and had had over 100 children through her doors. Lesley said: “The school is run purely on donations and love, our children are aged from 5 years to 15years, and the children love to perform.”

Activities Co-ordinator, Tina, said, it was lovely to have Lesley here with her dancers, and it truly has started our Burns Night celebrations off to a great start. The residents thoroughly enjoyed the dancing and so did the staff. Burns Night is always a fantastic event, it’s so important to continue these traditions for all our residents. The children danced so well, and to think that they have many more performances to go to after us, they certainly will bring so much joy to all today."

The residents and staff of Elm Bank care home in Kettering enjoyed an amazing afternoon celebrating Burns Night, starting with the Addressing of the Haggis followed by the amazing sounds of the Bagpipes.

Staff and residents at the home were very excited in welcoming Gary to the home to conduct an official Address of the Haggis ceremony, followed by the amazing sounds of the bagpipes. The residents and staff were thrilled to be part of such an afternoon, for many it was the first time that they had seen the Addressing of the Haggis being conducted and for others they had never really heard the bagpipes live. Burns Night is celebrated on the 25th January every year in honour of Scotland’s national poet, Robert Burns. Addressing the Haggis is a tradition that involves reciting a poem in honour of the food prior to eating it, the poem was written by Robert Burns in 1787, celebrating all that is good about the Haggis. The poem was written five years before his death, and haggis was eaten in celebration of his poem at a supper held in his memory.

Activities Co-ordinator, Tina, said, it was lovely to have Gary come to us and provide us with such an amazing afternoon. Burns Night is always a fantastic event, it’s so important to continue these traditions for all our residents. We all learnt about the meaning of Addressing the Haggis and to have the ceremony performed was just fantastic. Gary taught us all a lot about the meaning of Burns Night and the traditions that are held. It was lovely to also hear the bagpipes being played and learning all about the instrument itself. It was truly a wonderful afternoon for all here and we will definitely being asking Gary to come back next year.” 

The residents and staff at Elm Bank were delighted in attending the local St Thomas More School for an afternoon of Archaeology and dinosaur’s.

Residents were very excited to have been invited to a wonderful afternoon at their local St Thomas More School’s archaeology afternoon that was delivered by the talented team from ‘Giant Journeys’. The residents and children immersed themselves in learning about the world of dinosaurs and thrilled to have been a part of the fantastic educational afternoon.  Darren from Giant Journeys along with his team educated the children and residents about the amazing artefacts that they had with them, when everyone thought that it was all over, the hall was full of surprise as a giant dinosaur surprised all.

Resident Beryl said, "It was lovely, to see all the children all so keen to learn, I was a teacher myself and this afternoon was just perfect. The dinosaur now he was a surprise as no one was expecting to see him."

Marvellous Bindura, General Manager said, “It was lovely that the local school opened their doors to our residents, it means so much to the residents, it allows for the young and the old to mix and the wonderful experiences are shared.  Beryl was a teacher, so this meant so much to her.  I believe as do we all here at the home, it is crucial to create links with our local schools and within the community to continue for our residents to remain a part of the community.”

The residents and staff at Elm Bank care home in Kettering were overjoyed with little elves that came to visit during the festive period. The little elves from the local St Thomas More School were certainly given a warm welcome by all the residents and staff at the home.

It was a rather chilly morning, when some little elves from the local St Thomas More School decided to pay a visit to the residents and staff of Elm Bank care home. All the children had smiles on their faces as they made their way around the home spreading festive cheer to all. It was certainly a delightful sight, to see the smiles and hear the little voices as the elves spent time with staff, offering to help with duties and spending time with residents telling some very funny elf jokes. The teachers and children were all beautifully dressed in some wonderful costumes that made everyone very happy. The elves were treated to a surprise visit to see Father Christmas in the homes sensory Santa’s grotto.

Marvellous Bindura, General Manager said, “It is was heart-warming to have had the teachers and children from St Thomas More School come dressed as elves to see us all. The residents and staff truly welcomed having the elves with us spreading a lot of festive cheer to us all. One thing that we love at the home is creating good links with our local schools, it means so much to our residents that they have the intergenerational connection with children, which truly enriches the lives of both our residents

The residents and staff at Elm Bank care home in Kettering were delighted after a surprise visit was made by the ladies and children from the local Redeemed Church of God (RCCG) from the Emmanuel Chapel Kettering.

Residents and staff were very excited to have beautiful voices echoing throughout the home spreading Christmas joy to all. The residents truly enjoyed the surprise visit, which added a little more festive cheer to their day, the children and ladies from the local Redeemed Church of God, came during the morning, unannounced. It was a beautiful start for the residents and staff, as it was the day of the homes Christmas Fete.

Residents all said, "It was lovely, have a surprise group of lovely people turn up at this time of year and spread the festive joy to us here at the home, as we were all getting ready for our Christmas fete.

Marvellous Bindura, General Manager said, “It is was heart-warming to have had the ladies and children from the local Redeemed Church of God come to us and sing for us, we welcomed them in and they filled the home with beautiful voices, we really cannot thank them enough for creating some wonderful smiles on everyone’s faces.”

The residents and staff at Elm Bank care home in Kettering were delighted in attending Park Road Infant Schools afternoon Carol Service. A truly magical afternoon that allowed the residents to immerse themselves in the joy of Christmas and all that it has to offer.

Headteacher Liam Cox welcomed the residents and staff of Elm Bank care home to attend the Carol Service, the children performing were aged between five and seven years old. Residents Mabel and Eileen were very excited to have been invited to such a spectacular afternoon service. The residents enjoyed listening to the young children performing beautiful Christmas Carols, it was an opportunity for all to reminisce of Christmas when they were younger, and being back at school.

Resident Mabel said, "It was lovely, to see all the children and to hear them sing, thank you so much for bringing me to see the beautiful children and their little faces so happy."

Marvellous Bindura, General Manager said, “It was lovely that the local school opened their Christmas Carol Service up to our residents and welcomed them so warmly, it means so much to the residents, it allows for the young and the old to mix and the wonderful experiences are shared. Mabel and Eileen were overjoyed on their return. I believe, as do we all here at the home it is crucial to create links with our local schools and within the community to continue for our residents to remain a part of the community.”