Activities at Queens Manor Care Home
We understand that the people we support have passions and interests that could be difficult to pursue after moving into a care home – but that doesn’t mean we don’t encourage them to try! Some hobbies can define a person, so our Activities Coordinators are dedicated to ensuring that everyone we support is able to do what makes them happy to the best of their abilities. Social events are organised with individual tastes in mind and with the idea that residents have the opportunity to try new and exciting things.
Shannon Cullen
Hi, my name is Shannon and I am Head of Lifestyle and Enrichment here at Queens Manor. I have come to Queens Manor with 6 years of experience in the planning, activities and events sector.
I ensure that myself and the team get to know each resident's preferences so that we can deliver a person-centred programme of events and activities within the home - Including activities that positively impact physical, emotional and mental wellbeing. I strongly believe that creating great moments and memories for our residents and embracing their individuality with tailor made activities is the way forward.
In an era of developing technologies, we are using new ways of reaching out to family and friends - though Zoom, Skype and Facebook Portal. We hope that our residents never feel alone or too far away from their loved ones this way. Each day I like to ensure that our residents enjoy themselves in a calm, stimulating and fun environment, whilst creating bonds with each other and staff.
Read our brochure 'Life-enriching activities' for more information about life in our care homes.
Read our brochure
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 Queens Manor Care Home
Royal Botanic Garden Visit
We're finally starting to see a bit of sunshine and this means we can enjoy some outdoor visits. Residents love getting out and about for some fresh air and what better place to enjoy, than the beautiful and close by Royal Botanic Garden?!
First Year Anniversary Celebrations
What a night we had here at Queens Manor to celebrate our first year anniversary!
Staff, residents and guests danced the evening away with entertainment from singer Danny Feelgood and indulged in a tipple (or two!) along with a delicious buffet prepared by our kitchen team.
We've built up an excellent reputation in the area in our first year and love being an active part of the local community.
It's important to recognise the hard work of our team here. We provide a caring home for our residents as well as the best possible environment for our staff. Our year one anniversary marks a special occasion and not only enables us to celebrate their hard work, but it's also an opportunity to thank the residents, their relatives and friends who have contributed to making Queens Manor such a loving home
Residents Raise a Glass at Burns Supper
Queens Manor Care Home in Edinburgh prepared a traditional Burns Night supper to the tune of bagpipes and Aves O’ May from charity live music now, who beautifully played the clarsach & fiddle and sang some of the Rabbie Burns tunes well into the wee small hours!
Staff and residents at the home were involved in a number of activities learning about the life of Burns and reading his poetry to mark the Scottish institution, including giving the time-honoured address to the ‘Great chieftain O’ the pudding’ race’ – the Haggis. It was a perfect occasion to celebrate an evening steeped in age-old tradition as well as getting in a spot of Scottish craft making, poetry and singing with a medley of Burns’ songs.
Operations Manager, Lara Masucci said: “Our residents have enjoyed a hearty meal of traditional Cullen skink soup, Haggis with Neeps and Tatties all prepared by our stellar Chef, Duncan Taylor.
One resident, Doris, said: “I grew up hearing the story of Burns I was born in the same place, so it was a great pleasure to share the life of Burns with everyone’
A Voyage Together, Jim and B
Jim and his wife Beryl, affectionately known as B, have lived with us here at Queens Manor care home since the end of October. Jim arrived a little later than B and during that time it was clear to all of us how much B was missing him. We were delighted when Jim then arrived and even more so when we discovered that their 70th wedding anniversary would be the very next day. The team at Queens Manor organised a room for a surprise private lunch, flowers and fizz where Jim awaited his beautiful date. A 'none the wiser' B entered the room unknowingly to her beloved husband and anniversary surprise and was completely overjoyed. Jim and B’s family, including children and grandchildren, then joined them on the weekend for a family celebration, also here at the home.
Jim and B have quickly become a cherished part of Queens Manor and everyone is really enjoying getting to know them. Our lifestyle enrichment team discovered some classic and interesting finds at Cramond Kirk book sale and were excited to find two old dictionaries which they knew Jim would appreciate for his daily crosswords.
When leafing through these leather bound pieces, Jim came across a photo of the Queen Elizabeth Ship which amazingly he worked on in 1948 on her maiden voyage. This sparked lots of memories of Jim’s time working as a purser on ships sailing The Cunard Line. As well as the Queen Elizabeth, Jim sailed on the Media from Liverpool to New York and the Franconia to Mumbai.
Jim worked on the ships with a friend who was dating a school teacher on shore in Liverpool. She was co lodging with a fellow teacher who Jim was soon shoehorned in to ‘reluctantly’ agreeing to a blind date with. Unbeknown to Jim, his future wife B ‘reluctantly’ agreed to the date also! Fortunately, this shared reluctance was the first of many shared moments and adventures and 70 years on, Jim and B are still happily married.
It’s a wonderful thing that, from a forgotten old book found in a local church around the corner from where Jim and B now live, we heard the tale of how their voyage together began.
The Snow Queen at Christmas
We regularly enjoy outings to the theatre and this Christmas we were treated to a special performance as Scottish Ballet’s 50th anniversary year came to a spectacular close with a world premiere of The Snow Queen.
We enjoyed views of a festive themed Edinburgh on the journey to the Festival Theatre and were wowed by the dazzling performance. So many of Queens Manors’ residents have been fans of the ballet for many years and we were so happy to experience such a magical evening.
We have a valued place in the heart of the community and Edinburgh is so full of history, culture, art and theatre which we actively ensure our residents are able to enjoy.
My First Christmas In My New Home
Lots of our lovely residents are spending their first Christmas in their new home here at Queens Manor this year.
All at Queens Manor have gone above and beyond to make sure the run up to Christmas has been magical and exciting and tomorrow will be no different. With festive food, good cheer, warmth, love and support our Christmas Day will be one to remember.
One of our residents has marked the occasion with a beautiful custom made bauble to decorate the tree.
Merry Christmas and a Happy, Healthy New Year from all of us at Queens Manor x
