Activities at Thistle Hill Care Home

Thistle Hill has a resident poet!

Our resident, John, is a very talented, published poet, and he held a poetry workshop for other residents in the home. As it was Valentine’s Day, we also had bubbly and plenty of treats to go around.

John’s poems include writing ‘Ten Pint Friday’, ‘The Boss’ and 'Road of Sand’ to name but a few. John has also written short stories.

When asked about what gave him inspiration, John replied “My life experiences”.

We can’t thank John enough for hosting the event, and we are looking forward to more in the future.

Richard and Honey came to perform at Thistle Hill Care Centre on Valentine’s Day!

You really can’t beat a bit of music and a cute dog to captivate our residents.

Residents loved every minute of Richard’s stunning performance and the doggy cuddles with Honey the cockapoo. Residents were clapping and swaying, while other residents were dancing to Richard’s vocal with guitar accompaniment. It was definitely a big hit with residents and visitors alike.

Afterwards, we all had valentine’s cream tea and cakes. Yummy!

Thistle Hill threw a party today to celebrate the launch of the Enable digital system!

We had a magnificent Enable themed cake made by our friend, Jen Miles, and lots of bubbly. Our incredible team gathered at the reception to mark this brilliant achievement. We are all excited by the whole home approach, which will enhance the lives of all of our residents. 

Together we are creating a brighter future for our lovely care home, and it has been really wonderful to work on this undertaking as a team.

Thistle Hill was transformed into a 50s diner to mark Buddy Holly Day.  Charles Hardin Holley, or Buddy Holly as he was better known, died tragically in a plane crash near Clear Lake, Iowa, aged just 22 along with fellow musicians, Ritchie Valens and J.P. Richardson.  He was a pioneering singer-songwriter, hailed as one of the greats of 1950’s American rock & roll, despite his short career.

General Manager, Mandy Scott, said: “Lots of our residents are big Buddy Holly fans and still love his music.  We’ve had a fantastic day listening to all his hits, finding out about his life in 50s America and what influenced him. We watched a documentary about his life, he was such an incredible talent.  To celebrate we had a singer, David Gloan accompanied by keyboard.  It is amazing how many songs he recorded.  We all surprised ourselves by how many we remembered!”
 

Staff and residents have been marking Time to Talk Day by holding small conversations about a big issue - mental health.  Time to Talk Day took place on Thursday 6th February.  The idea behind the day is that the more conversations we have, the more barriers we can break down, helping to end the feeling of isolation and loneliness that too many people with mental health problems experience.

The staff and residents got into the spirit of the day by discussing their own mental health and how they have been affected by the challenging times we have all faced.  Mental health issues affect one in four people so it is important to open up about how you are feeling and share your problems and anxieties.
 

We recently visited Harrogate Homeless Project to present them with boxes of donated food. Harrogate Homeless Project is a local charity that provides a safe place to stay, and practical support, for those people experiencing homelessness.  They have a range of facilities to assist those in need to access other services. 

Our wonderful resident Les accompanied Darren to visit their premises and drop off the food. Thank you to all the staff and visitors who have donated food items so far.