Activities at Southerndown Care Home

We have been celebration nutrition and hydration week here at Southerndown, and our favourite event of the week was the global tea party with all of our favourite treats.

We had some amazing Sundaes, tasty flapjack and some indulgent brownies. Not to mention the tempting fruit platter and also the chocolate and brownie smoothies!

We all really enjoyed the afternoon, and we had a wonderful time socialising with our families and friends.

While the Strictly glitterball is back in its cupboard for the time being, staff at a Chipping Norton care home put on their dancing shoes and got their resident boogieng.

Cue Sun Rae Inclusive Dancing School hosted a session at Southerndown Care Home, teaching residents a variety of styles, from the waltz to the cha cha cha.

Such was the success of these sessions, that all the home's residents have agreed to sign up for the West Oxfordshire Open Inclusive Dance Championship set to take place in June.

Sun Rae, known for teaching older adults to dance, received a wave of enthusiasm among residents at Southerndown when it hosted classes at the home.

The initiative is not only about fun and recreation but also aids with reminiscence and mobility.

One of the dance teachers said: "What a fabulous way to spend the afternoon, we absolutely loved dancing with the residents – they’re such naturals.

"It was so lovely to get everyone moving, remembering dances from years gone by – it is amazing how the steps come back to you.

"Everyone enjoyed it so much that they all want to take part in our Inclusive Dance Championship in June, they can’t wait for our next session so they can work on their moves for the competition."

"They are very excited for the competition and can’t wait to take part."

We immersed ourselves in a calming colour therapy workshop with one of our activities coordinators Cathy.

Today we were busy creating some vibrant line work art, choosing our favourite colours to do so.

The session was very soothing, relaxing and sparking creativity and we were very pleased with the outcome of our hard work.

Celebrations have been in full swing at Southerndown as one of its residents reaches 99 this year.

Harold was born on 10th Feb 1925 in the town of Clanfield, England.

As Harold turned 18, he felt a strong sense of duty to serve his country, so he volunteered for the Royal Air Force (RAF). His time in the RAF was marked by dedication and bravery as he contributed to efforts during times of conflict. He and his team were delivering dried milk packets for the starving people, orphanage and Nurseries from 1000 feet cable wire providing sustenance to those in need.

His 21st Birthday was celebrated in the Island called Sylt which is in Germany. He was far from his family but the team made sure he had a good birthday celebration.

Moved by the kindness and generosity of the people of Sylt, Harold formed a deep connection with the island and its inhabitants. Even after his service in the RAF ended, the bond remained strong. The people of Sylt, grateful for his assistance during their time of need, sent Harold books about their beloved island as a token of appreciation after he left the service.

After his service with RAF, Harold joined Forestry department and later became the Head of the Forest Department. With unwavering dedication, he served for an impressive 48 years, becoming a pillar of the community and earning the prestigious Long Service Award for his remarkable commitment.

During his tenure, Harold's passion for conservation led him to plant over 200,000 trees, leaving a lasting legacy of greenery and sustainability for future generations to enjoy. His efforts in notch planting, a technique he perfected over the years, ensured the forests thrived and flourished under his watchful care.

In the garden of the care home, a special event was planned to honour Harold's lifelong dedication to the environment. Together, with the assistance of his family, friends and the Carehome team, Harold planted a Magnolia tree, symbolising growth, strength, and the passion he had created throughout his years.

After the tree planting, Southerndown Carehome team, arranged a special birthday celebration by decorating the hall, cutting the cake with music and snacks. Everyone including Harold was very happy and told us that it would be a memorable birthday for him.

Today staff and residents celebrated the launch of our new digital platform Enable.

We all enjoyed a wonderful tea party including our baking clubs latest bake, a chocolate cake.

It was then covered in fondant icing and decorated with fondant hearts depicting staff uniform colours.

Southerndown buzzed with delight at Alan the saxophonist visit filled the air with melodies, The joy of the music prompted spontaneous busts of singing, dancing and laughter  throughout the room.

The whole afternoon was truly wonderful and brought back so many memories of days gone by.