Activities at Elm Bank Care Home

Elm Bank care home in Kettering were thrilled to have received a kind donation of compressed ply wood for their sensory Santa’s Grotto project.

Activities Co-ordinator Tina from Elm Bank care home was in the store purchasing Christmas decorations alongside Rob Head of maintenance for the residents of the home. Whilst browsing the store, David Gibbs a Team Leader at the local store was approached to enquire about some wood required for an activities project of creating a sensory Santa’s Grotto.

Tina, the Activities Co-ordinator said, “I am creating a sensory Santa’s Grotto for our dementia residents to enjoy as well as everyone else, family, staff and local school children during the festive period. The grotto will be a place for all to relax and take in the atmosphere of Christmas, a place to reminisce of past festive times, a beautiful escape in to an enchanting place for a while. All of us at the home are truly grateful for the donation from B&Q, once the sensory Grotto is open, it would be lovely to invite David over.”

David said, “I was touched when I learnt what the purpose of the wood was for and felt that we had to do something to help this wonderful project of creating a sensory Santa’s Grotto. It is the least we could do for the residents of Elm Bank care home. We are all excited to receive the photos of the finished grotto. I have a family member that has dementia and something like this is a very good idea. “

Marvellous Bindura, General Manager said, “All of us here at the home are very grateful for the kind donation made by B&Q. The Sensory Santa’s Grotto is a wonderful idea and will truly be a place that we are all able to enjoy during the festive period. We are looking forward to the completed project and seeing the smiles on everyone’s faces.”

Richard Jell, the owner of Richards Plants in Desborough, made a kind festive donation to the residents and staff of Elm Bank care home in Kettering, which put smiles on everyone’s faces.

The residents and staff at the home were delighted when they received a beautiful Nordman Fir tree for the front entrance of the home. The wonderful tree stands seven and half foot tall, it truly will make the entrance of the home look magical.

Richard said, “We are celebrating our 20th year of trading, and it has been truly wonderful to be able to help Elm Bank care home. I fully understand the hard work that goes in to care homes, and the importance of making this time of the year special for all, family with loved ones in the home and staff that work throughout the festive period. It is the least I could do, to put a smile on the faces of all, I cannot wait to see the tree decorated."

Marvellous Bindura, General Manager said, “All of us here at the home are very grateful for the kind donation made by Richard. We are looking forward to the tree being decorated and the joy it will bring to everyone will be truly magical, it certainly will make the front of the home spectacular.” 

Chef Jo, at Elm Bank care home in Kettering baked a delicious selection of sweet treats to raise money for Children in Need.

Children in Need took place this year on Friday 15th November, the aim of the day is to help raise money to help support local charities and projects which are providing essential frontline help to children and young people in communities throughout the UK.

Jo has worked at Elm Bank care home for two and a half years as a third chef, creating wonderful hearty meals for all the residents. Jo always had a lifelong dream of running her own business selling homemade cakes. On the 1st of September the dream became a reality as she opened Jo’s Bakeaways, which is run from her home kitchen, making cupcakes, cookies, tray bakes and all things yummy.

Residents, visitors and staff at Elm Bank care home were all very supportive and were there to support Jo in the sale of her delicious homemade sweet treats that she kindly donated to the home to help raise much need funds for Children in Need.

Jo, third chef at Elm Bank Care Home, said: “Taking part in Children in Need has been a huge amount of fun and everyone at the home has been behind me all the way. It’s for such an important cause. I’m very glad to be able to do my bit to raise both awareness and money for Children in Need and all the initiatives it supports.”

Marvellous Bindura General Manager at Elm Bank care home, said: "Jo is a very valued member of the team here at Elm Bank, and we are all very proud of her in starting her own business, which has always been her dream. Jo created an amazingly delicious selection for baked treats, and has helped raise money for Children in Need. The cup cakes and cookies along with all the other delicious sweet treats went down so well".

Elm Bank care home commemorated the signing of the Armistice Day agreement on the day that the guns finally fell silent. They joined the rest of the United Kingdom in holding a two-minute silence at the eleventh hour, on the eleventh day, of the eleventh month.

Residents and Staff marked Armistice Day by wearing poppies and observing the national two minute silence, residents also enjoyed an amazing afternoon of music from the ‘Barrack Boys’ who delivered songs from the past. Residents reminisced and told life stories from when they were younger, it was an emotional afternoon.

Marvellous Bindura General Manager at Elm Bank care home said: “We have many residents with personal ties to the military and many who have experienced conflict either at home or abroad so it was important to us to mark November 11th and honour the contribution of everyone involved in the World Wars and in subsequent conflicts.

What an amazing time was had by all here at Elm Bank, to celebrate the 5th of November in style, we hosted our very own fireworks display which was amazing!

Residents, family and staff came together to enjoy a fantastic day of live entertainment, followed by the first fireworks display in the home for some time. The evening was spent enjoying the spectacular display, with delicious hotdogs and Jacket Potato's all washed down with freshly made deluxe hot chocolate topped off with marshmallows, cream and sprinkles. It was an evening full of laughter, enjoyment for all, and as some residents preferred to enjoy the spectacular display from within the home, it was lovely to have all at the windows looking out to the home gardens watching with delight.

National celebrations and family-friendly events are just some of the ways that we ensure the residents at Elm Bank Care home remain connected with their loved ones and the wider community. 

We always love to have Seam Moses the Banjo Man here at Elm Bank and it made for great entertainment in the afternoon and it certainly was a lovely afternoon of laughter and singing.

Our residents faces told a picture of how much they enjoy listening to the music and clapping along.

The methods and mediums may change but the heart of live music - the communal joy, the shared emotions, the collective energy - remains untouched. As we look to the future, one thing is clear: live music will continue to be a cherished experience at Elm Bank Care home, even as its form and format evolve.