Activities at Orchard House Care Home

We were treated to a beautiful candlelight harp concert performed by the wonderful Bella Brown. The soft glow of the candles, combined with her gentle harp music and much-loved Christmas songs, created a calm, peaceful and festive atmosphere throughout the home.

Our residents thoroughly enjoyed the experience many were smiling, relaxed and clearly moved by the music. Moments like these are so special and mean so much to everyone here.

Thank you, Bella, for bringing such beauty, warmth and Christmas spirit to Orchard House today.   

Residents and staff at Orchard House Care Home were treated to a truly special festive experience with a heart-warming Nativity performance that filled the home with laughter, reflection and Christmas joy. What made the event especially memorable was the involvement of the entire Orchard House team, from housekeeping and hospitality to activities, care staff and management, all coming together to create something magical for our residents.

We would like to extend a special thank you to Maryrose, whose beautiful singing and powerful voice truly elevated the performance, as well as to Domi, the son of one of our team members, whose involvement added an extra layer of warmth and joy to the occasion.

We would also like to sincerely thank The New Strolling Players for kindly providing the costumes which helped bring the Nativity to life and added so much authenticity and festive charm to the performance.
Moments like these remind us of the power of community teamwork and shared celebration and of how special the Christmas season truly is at Orchard House.   

Our residents watched the Remembrance service on TV with great respect and heartfelt silence. Later in the afternoon, Peter joined us and filled the home with beautiful music. We sang together, creating a warm and touching atmosphere. 

As visitors arrived, they were greeted by our beautiful Remembrance installation at the entrance a heartfelt tribute to all the heroes we honour today.   

Our residents proudly wore the handmade poppies crafted by our amazing team. Thank you so much for these gorgeous poppies you made today even more special.     

We celebrated this beautiful day on Sunday, and our residents truly enjoyed every moment! It was a lovely afternoon filled with smiles, stories, music, and plenty of warmth and laughter.

Thank you to everyone who helped make it so special.   

We had the pleasure of hosting a wonderful readers’ and writers’ gathering here at Orchard House Care Home, together with talented Isle of Wight authors.

Our chef treated everyone to some delicious homemade cupcakes, and we are delighted to now have personally signed books in our home library. In the morning, Kevin Wilson read from his book and shared the inspiring story of how he became an author.

In the afternoon, we welcomed Kathryn Rossati-Brown, an autistic writer, who bravely spoke about how autism has inspired her writing. It was truly fantastic to hear her talk so openly about her feelings and what it means to be an autistic author. 
It was a very successful and heart-warming day, and we are proud to have welcomed such talented local writers. We look forward to repeating this event again in October.      

Our residents had a wonderful afternoon creating their own pizzas exactly to their taste. Once ready, our chef baked them to perfection, and everyone enjoyed their pizza with a refreshing pint of beer. 

Lots of smiles, great conversations, and a truly enjoyable time for all, a simple pleasure that everyone loved!

We celebrated a two-day Christmas party with our wonderful residents, and it was truly something special. They absolutely loved the festive food, the cheerful atmosphere and all the entertainment that came with it.

Paulo brought his brilliant party spirit, as always, and Maurice the tap dancer completely mesmerised us with his incredible talent.

The food was fantastic, the mood was joyful, and the Christmas magic swept everyone off their feet. Seeing our residents so happy made every moment worth it.

What a beautiful way to celebrate the season together.         

We’re so happy to have discovered this little gem on the island, the Sea Gels Shanty Band! The ladies brought such an incredible atmosphere with their sea shanties, laughter and energy. Our residents absolutely loved it and even joined in singing along with the band!

Thanks must go to the Sea Gels, for filling our home with joy, music and smiles we can’t wait to have you back!   

These moments lift their spirits and take them away from the routine of everyday life. That’s exactly what happened yesterday. The weather was beautiful and sunny, so we decided to visit Parkhurst Forest. 

A few of our residents joined the trip, and Kirsty, who always goes the extra mile for our residents, baked some delicious banana cupcakes. 

We simply enjoyed the lovely day together, surrounded by nature and laughter.    

Our residents were treated to a truly special experience here at Orchard House Care Centre: a wonderful Proms-inspired harp concert performed by the incredibly talented Bella Brown. 

Bella delighted us not only with her beautiful playing, but also by sharing stories about her life in music and the inspiration behind her work. The soothing sound of the harp created a magical atmosphere, and it was a joy to see so many smiles and happy faces amongst our residents. 

Moments like these mean so much to our community. Music has a unique way of bringing people together, sparking memories, and lifting spirits. We are very grateful to Bella for joining us and giving our residents such a memorable afternoon.  

Orchard House Care Home is celebrating Storytelling Week by welcoming local authors to share their stories with residents. On Friday, the home was honoured to host local writer Cheryl May, who treated residents to a wonderful afternoon of storytelling and conversation. 

Cheryl brought along two of her books, including Not Just Desserts, and read selected passages to residents. Her engaging style, warmth and sense of humour quickly created a relaxed and joyful atmosphere throughout the room.

Residents listened with great interest, asked questions, shared their own memories, and thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to connect through literature. The afternoon was filled with laughter, reflection and a genuine sense of togetherness. Storytelling Week aims to celebrate the power of stories to inspire, connect generations and stimulate meaningful conversation and Cheryl’s visit beautifully reflected all of these values.     

What a way to start to the festive season. With a countdown to switch on the reception Christmas tree. We were taken away by the soothing vocals from Bethan John Music. 

Don’t worry, we had the best mince pies in town made by our fabulous chefs, and we can’t forget the delicious mulled wine and yummy hot chocolate. 

To top off the event, we had a visit from the best power couple, Mr & Mrs Clause, who took time out of their busy schedule to hand out some little treats.

We had such an amazing Halloween party! A huge thank you to Kirsty and our brilliant kitchen team for the fantastic cupcakes. They looked and tasted incredible. 

We also had children visiting, and everyone sang and danced together. The residents had a wonderful time, full of smiles, laughter and great energy. What a lovely way to celebrate Halloween together!    

Our residents had a fantastic afternoon celebrating Oktoberfest! 

A big thank you to Paulo, who entertained everyone with brilliant music and songs there was singing, dancing, and lots of laughter all around! 

It was wonderful to see our residents enjoying themselves and getting into the festive spirit.  

The day began with apple picking from the care home’s own garden, where the trees were full of ripe, juicy fruit. 
After gathering baskets of apples, residents got hands-on in the kitchen, making a traditional homemade apple strudel, a seasonal treat enjoyed by all. Adding to the festivities, the home’s much-loved therapy dog joined in, bringing smiles and extra cheer to the celebrations.

Staff said the day was filled with laughter and community spirit, making it a memorable way to embrace the season.