Activities at Laurel Bank Care Home

Residents across our services had a delightful time during a special virtual sensory storytelling event, led by Art Historian Jon Sleigh from the Historic Royal Palaces.

Jon took us on a journey to discover some of the more unusual and unexpected inhabitants of the palaces and the Tower of London, sharing fascinating stories about the pets at the palaces.

Whilst enjoying the virtual experience, our residents were treated to hot beverages, delicious biscuits, berries and cakes.  It was a truly lovely time for all.

As the coronation celebrations came to a close, residents of Laurel Bank wanted to join in with the ‘Big Help Out’ and give something back to their community.

With the support of activities coordinator, Jaimy-Lee who coordinated their community help in organising for resident, Pam to volunteer for the afternoon in a local charity shop - Defying Dementia. Whilst there, Pam spent time organising clothing, serving customers and greeted them all as they walked through the door! Residents from Laurel Bank also visit the shop regularly a spot of retail therapy, and many visitors were surprised but delighted to see Pam behind the counter!

Excitement is in the air at Laurel Bank in Lancaster where residents and staff have been busy making Coronation-themed decorations and baking up a storm of red, white and blue cakes and pastries with the help of head chef Grant in preparation for the King’s Coronation on May 6.

Staff and residents at the home put their heads together and came up with a plan for their celebrations fit for a King. Over the bank holiday weekend the home held a grand royal party, with live music from Garstang Ukulele Group, and the activities team dressed as the King’s guard. The whole home came together to celebrate our new King and talk about the new era the country is entering.

Across our services Residents had a wonderful time participating in an interactive virtual talk with Pippa Catterall, Professor of History and Policy at the University of Westminster, where we delved into the rich history of coronations.

During the talk, we explored fascinating topics such as the coronation chair, the crown, and other significant aspects related to King Charles' upcoming coronation. Our residents were thrilled to have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the memoirs of past coronations from 1937 and 1953, as well as learning about the coronation oath and what to expect from the ceremony, including the music, guests, and pageantry.

Excitement is running high at Laurel Bank in Lancaster where residents and staff have been cooking up a storm to enter parent company Barchester Healthcare’s Easter Cake competition.  Details of the competition were announced earlier this year and the home has been busy coming up with, what they hope, will be a winning design.

The competition is being run by Barchester Healthcare across its 250 care homes and private hospitals so the home has some stiff competition to beat. Pride is at stake as chefs and residents at each of the homes across the country battle it out.  Judging will take place just after Easter and the winning cakes for each of Barchester’s divisions will be announced at the end of April.

Across our services, our residents were treated to a special virtual sensory storytelling session.  Together with Art Historian Jon Sleigh and the Historic Royal Palaces community team, we explored several royal palaces through the theme of food, dining and celebration!

We enjoyed a fantastic taste-a-long experience from the comfort of our home, from Tudor treats to Stuart sweets. A lovely time was had by all.