Activities at Sutton Valence Care Home
Our activities team are great at building the activities programme around the likes and interests of the people we care for. Ensuring that our social events offer fun and adventure is part of the ethos of our home; it’s important that those we support can enjoy an active and social lifestyle. Of course, there will always be those who prefer peace and quiet, and in these instances, a cup of tea and a chat are always welcomed.
Gemma Bhandari
My name is Gemma I am an Activities coordinator at Sutton Valence care home. I have been working here for nine years and love it. I grew up in Sutton valence village and attended the local Primary school.
I have always been passionate about the care of others and enjoy enriching the lives of our Residents. I have a Diploma in Health and social care and have worked in private health care for over 14 years. I have always loved performing arts and studied this at school. I am a very proud Mother to Amaya and Jacob.
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 Sutton Valence Care Home
Gardeners Club
When gardeners garden, it is not just plants that grow, but the gardeners themselves...
Four fabulous hanging baskets created by our Gardening Club. We used fir cones and tree bark sourced from our garden to enhance the beauty of the plants and add interest to the basket.
Alexa was so happy to help Nan, Nan (Peggy) Have to say, Alexa was THE best assistant to activities today
George, hubby to Ann, was roped in to fill the baskets with compost.
Remembrance Sunday
As well as marking Remembrance Day by wearing poppies and watching the televised service from The Cenotaph, residents held their own service at the home where family and staff laid their own wreaths and took time to reflect. Our Residents were moved by the service and all said how important it is to support and help one another.
Special thanks to Resident Adele Govett who paid tribute by delivering her own heart felt words of the day and helping to decorate our home beautifully.
Bewitching tricks and spooky treats
Sutton Valence was a den of ghoulish activity as the home’s spooky Halloween week got in to full swing.
Residents and staff got in to the spirit of things by decorating the home in homemade decorations which they had made. We had a lovely visit from the local scout group who did cupcake decorating with our Residents. We had a pumpkin decorating competition and children from the Local village came up to join in. It was a spooktacular week.
Wear it pink day
There is no exercise better for the heart than reaching down and lifting people up. When we give cheerfully it's a kind gesture to someone who can never repay you ....
As many of you will know October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month with a dedicated day to WEAR PINK 🎀
Caroline De Souza our favourite independent skincare and wellbeing senior consultant set up in our cafè area offering free or for a donation hand massages to everyone using her wonderful products.
Our chef, Suraj, came up trumps and baked exquisite cupcakes and cakes 🍰. Donations were greatly accepted on behalf of the charity.
Name the Troll and Teddy Bear evoked a few chats here and there. Winners will be announced at the end of this month plus the princely sum our home raised.
Kerry, from Kerry Slevins Cakes, generously donated a sumptuous bouquet of cupcakes.
Our heartfelt thanks goes out to EVERYONE for their generosity and participation.
LOCAL CARER SCOOPS COVETED CARE TITLE
Sue Wood, Senior Carer, at Sutton Valence care home in Maidstone has been crowned Lifetime Achievement Award winner for the South Division in the Barchester Care Awards 2023 and attended the national awards in Manchester yesterday with Senior General Manager, Robert Dura-May. Sue has worked at Sutton Valence care home for 30 years.
The Barchester Care Awards celebrate the staff who go the extra mile for the benefit of the 13,000 residents living in Barchester’s 252 care homes and private hospitals across the country. Categories range from ‘Registered Nurse of the Year’ and ‘Carer of the Year’ to ‘Dementia Care Champion’ and ‘Activities Coordinator of the Year’.
Almost 4,000 nominations were received from homes and hospitals across the UK. All entries were a very high standard and Sue is over the moon to have been named the winner for the South Division beating hundreds of other nominees.
Senior General Manager, Robert Dura-May, said: “This is an amazing achievement and it was great to see the whole home supporting Sue. The whole home is so proud of her. Sue is such an asset to our home and always go the extra mile to ensure they have done the best possible job and our residents have everything they need.”
Hedgehog Rescue centre visit
Sometimes the smallest things can take up the most space in your heart ...
And that's exactly what this little hoglet did with staff, residents and family.
Phyllis was totally thrilled to be able to give our little visitor a cuddle; well a cuddle as best she could with those soft but prickly spikes.
Were you aware that there are less than a million hedgehogs left in the UK?
Human activities, and the increasing loss of countryside, are the main factors for their decline. Our hoglet, accompanied the wonderful Lisa, from Thorne Hedgehog Rescue Centre, was most accommodating by accepting cuddles from all within the home.
Our resident, Adele, was particularly intrigued by the works of Lisa. So much so, we will be meeting up again to discuss releasing a hedgehog or two in our garden. More on this later in the year.
Please pop over and give Lisa a visit and maybe you could assist with the continuance of her rescues.
In the meantime we Thank Lisa for her time and visit. Thank You!
