Activities at South Chowdene Care Home

Geordie day as such doesn’t exist to our knowledge however, that didn’t stop us having our own with themed food and drinks, pictures of our favourite places around the home as well as a talk about being ‘Geordie’ from Linda Davison.

She took us through where the name came from and how the language and traditions have developed over time. During the break, we enjoyed Ham and Pease Pudding stotties which were washed down with Brown Ale.

We were very lucky to have Judith Carruthers along from the Progressive Players with her extensive archivist knowledge and enthusiasm. She brought along some great and very precious artefacts from the theatre and as it was the only theatre opened during WWII, these went back a fair way.

We were introduced to the ‘Dodds sisters’ who were instrumental in getting and keeping the theatre going as well as having incredibly varied and successful lives outside the theatre. Many of our residents visited the theatre often but both Val and June had actually hen on stage there as teenagers as part of schools projects.

Across our services we had a lovely time joining Rhiannon Watkinson from the RAF Museum London for an interactive talk exploring the exciting and innovative aviation history of Hendon.

Our residents were able to learn about the first flights from the fields at Hendon, the creation of the London Aerodrome and Battle of Britain pilots who flew from RAF Hendon.

The talk also included photographic and film material from the Museum’s archive. Residents across our homes had a fantastic time and we truly enjoyed the virtual experience.

Staff, residents, relatives and the local community came together at South  Chowdene care home to enjoy a Summer Fete that was held in the home’s grounds on 4th June.

South  Chowdene care home hosted a variety of activities throughout the day, including a raffle, tombola, a large variety of stalls as well as live entertainment and refreshments, which were enjoyed by everyone who came to the event. There was also a Bric a Brac stall raising money for the Whickham School World Challenge.

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.

What a fantastic afternoon we had listening to Andrew Clark chat about the 30s, 40s and 50s at Birtley Library. He came equipped with a full array of household, leisure and play stories and exhibits and encouraged the audience to share their memories and experiences. After the talk, it was great to have a cuppa with history group members and other visitors to continue the reminiscence. We’re really looking forward to the next talk.