Activities at Plas-Y-Dderwen Care Home
At Plas-Y-Dderwen Care Home, our Lifestyle/Activities staff endeavour to provide a wide range of activities that suit all residents' physical and mental needs. There are regular minibus trips to nearby places of interest, including visits to local beaches and shows. We also have a film club, gentlemen's club, arts and crafts club, with musical entertainment once a week. Activities are very important to the staff of Plas-Y-Dderwen, making the home a fun and active place for all the residents who live here.
Lisa Peart
Hello, I'm Lisa, and I joined the team here at Plas Y Dderwen, in November 2022. With over a decade of experience in the care sector since 2009, I'm deeply passionate about working with people and making a positive impact on their lives.
I've always had a love for creativity and find joy in bringing smiles to others. My focus is on designing person-centered activities that are not only meaningful but also enrich the lives of our residents, creating moments of fun and fulfillment.
Activities and Events Partnerships
As part of our bespoke life-enrichment programmes, we host a number of live virtual events in the home on a regular basis through a number of partnerships with places of interest and world class performance companies
Life at Plas-Y-Dderwen Care Home
Easter fundraiser
This month, we held a heart-warming Easter Fundraising Event in support of Barchester's Charitable Foundation. We were delighted to welcome our friend, Jimmy Elvis, whose lively performance not only entertained but also significantly boosted our residents wellbeing. Jimmy Elvis wowed us all with his classic tunes, smooth dance moves, and personal serenades for our residents – adding a special touch to the afternoon.
We also had a special visit from Carmarthenshire Party Ponies & Therapy Pets who came along with Toby the Pony and Thunder the giant bunny, who made heart-warming room-to-room visits, spreading smiles and Easter cheer throughout our communities. Our cake sale was a huge hit and the raffle was a great success, thanks to the generosity of those who donated prizes and bought tickets.
A heartfelt thank you goes out to everyone who supported us – whether by attending, donating, or purchasing goodies. Your kindness helps make a real difference. We had a fun-filled afternoon and hope you enjoyed it as much as we did! Events like these are more than just fun – they bring a sense of joy, reduce feelings of isolation, and encourage social interacting among residents.
A Special Visit from Redberth Croft CIC!
We were absolutely delighted to welcome Daisy, the founder of Redberth Croft CIC, and Samantha into our home today – along with a very special little guest, Ella the rabbit! Ella, who was recently rescued, stole the hearts of our residents during her visit.
Redberth Croft is a fantastic local charity that provides support to veterans and also rescues animals including horses, ponies, dogs, rabbits, and more. They’re currently developing a new, inclusive market garden that will be open to the whole community.
We’re proud to announce that the Barchester's Charitable Foundation has awarded a grant of £2,500 to support this inspiring project. Our wonderful resident ambassadors, Geraint and Gill, had the honour of presenting the cheque on behalf of the Foundation.
It was inspiring to hear more about the incredible work Redberth Croft is doing, and the exciting plans they have for the future. We’re truly looking forward to growing this relationship and working together in the months ahead!
Bingo night fun!
On Good Friday, a small group of us jumped on the minibus and made our way to Carmarthen Indoor Bowls Club for an evening of community bingo – and residents had a wonderful evening.
We were greeted with such a warm welcome, and the atmosphere was buzzing with laughter and fun! Residents soaked up the friendly vibes, and it wasn’t long before it was eyes down and dabbers at the ready!
With a few lucky wins (and maybe a cheeky false call or two), everyone had a brilliant time. The giggles were nonstop, and both staff and residents loved every moment. A huge thank you to everyone who made the evening so special – we can’t wait to do it again!
Pancake Day!
This month, we celebrated Pancake Day, also known as Shrove Tuesday, with a fun-filled event! Residents had a blast preparing their own pancake batter, reminiscing over the pancakes they used to make and discussing the various toppings for pancakes. Activities Co-ordinator, Lisa, and Head of Housekeeping, Sandra, entertained everyone with their impressive pancake-flipping skills.
The highlight of the day, of course, was enjoying the delicious pancakes, topped with a generous sprinkle of sugar and a squeeze of fresh lemon. A truly delightful experience for all!
St David's Day!
St. David’s Day is a truly special occasion for us here at Plas y Dderwen, as we celebrate all things Welsh.
Embracing the rich Welsh language, we enjoyed songs sung in Welsh, as well as music from iconic Welsh artists like Tom Jones and Bronwen Lewis. Our Welsh flags flew proudly, and we enjoyed traditional Welsh dishes such as Cawl, Bara Brith, and Welsh cakes.
The ladies had fun trying on traditional Welsh lady hats, adding an extra touch of Welsh charm to the day. It was a wonderful celebration of our heritage!
World Book Day!
We had a fantastic time this month, celebrating World Book Day! We kicked off the day by discussing some of our favourite books, with the Activities team bringing beloved characters to life by dressing up as their top picks. It was Julie Andrews-themed as we had Ann dressed as Maria Von Trapp from the 1949 memoir ‘The Story of the Trapp Family Singers’ and Lisa dressed as Mary Poppins from the eight-book series of the same name by Pamela Lyndon Travers. The residents had a great time sharing their favourite books in celebration of World Book Day, and we hosted a book-themed quiz that sparked some friendly competition around them.
Later, we were joined by Carl Bryant for a Musical Workshop for an exciting musical workshop, followed by an afternoon of karaoke, where we sang along to all our favourite tunes. Watching Mary Poppins belt out songs by Tom Jones and Elvis was quite amusing, though she did an incredible job with it! The highlight was definitely our residents taking over the mic and dazzling everyone with their performance!
An excellent day for everyone!
