Activities at Thistle Hill Care Home

Across our services Residents had a wonderful time participating in an interactive virtual talk with Pippa Catterall, Professor of History and Policy at the University of Westminster, where we delved into the rich history of coronations.

During the talk, we explored fascinating topics such as the coronation chair, the crown, and other significant aspects related to King Charles' upcoming coronation. Our residents were thrilled to have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the memoirs of past coronations from 1937 and 1953, as well as learning about the coronation oath and what to expect from the ceremony, including the music, guests, and pageantry.

Staff and residents at Barchester’s Thistle Hill Care Centre, in Knaresborough, celebrated Easter with a whole host of different activities including an Easter Egg Hunt, , Easter tea party, Easter cake-making and Easter Bonnet Competition.

Residents at Thistle Hill enjoyed an eggs-tensive range of Easter activities, from an Easter Bonnet parade to Simnel cake making and visit from Easter Bunny.  Residents also tucked in to a delicious Easter meal of Deviled eggs, Yorkshire lamb and cream scones prepared by the home’s head chef Ewelina.

General Manager, Mandy Scott said: “As always, we’ve all been looking forward to Easter. It’s such a lovely time of year – the residents love all the colourful Easter eggs and the Easter Bonnet parade. It’s really been an eggs-cellent few days!”

This morning Thistle Hill hosted a ‘Volunteer Appreciation Coffee Morning’ which saw our home show its appreciation and gratitude to our amazing volunteers. Carole and Holly.

Carole and Holly enjoyed a morning of fizz and cakes as Mandy our home manager made a heartfelt speech on behalf of our residents. Thanking our two very special special ladies.

Staff and residents at Barchester’s Thistle Hill Care Centre in Knaresborough were treated to a chocolate extravaganza courtesy of Ellie Prail and Paul Vernon from one of the world’s best-known confectionery companies, Nestlé.

Residents and patients were invited to think back as far as 1904 when Nestlé first started to sell chocolate bars and how the company was involved in the development of milk chocolate as far back as 1875. Ellie and Paul hosted a fascinating talk about how Nestlé Confectionery was first created and how the company has grown over time to become one of the biggest chocolate manufacturers in the world. Residents were taken on a virtual tour of one of its factories to see Easter egg production in full swing. There was an interactive quiz where residents put their chocolate knowledge to the test before Ellie and Paul gave a demonstration on decorating Easter cookies, which everyone then got to sample.

Residents and staff at the Thistle Hill Care Centre in Knaresborough celebrated all things Irish for St Patrick’s Day this week. The home was decorated with shamrocks and everyone dressed in green to mark the day. 

Held on March 17th, Saint Patrick's Day actually observes the death of St Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, but the day has come to be a huge celebration of Irish heritage and culture.

Staff and residents at the home marked the day by dancing along the sounds of classic Irish hits and folk music, whilst enjoying a refreshing glass of Guinness and Irish Coffee before rounding off the day with a themed Irish quiz!.

To mark International Women’s Day, staff and residents at Barchester’s Thistle Hill Care Centre in Knaresborough were treated to the third in a series of live talks and tours hosted by Holly and Roxanne from The Wallace Collection.

The Wallace Collection is a national museum which displays the art collections brought together by the first four marquesses of Hertford and Sir Richard Wallace, the likely illegitimate son of the 4th Marquess. It was bequeathed to the British nation by Lady Wallace, Sir Richard’s widow, in 1897.  Displayed at Hertford House, formerly the principal London residence of the marquesses of Hertford, the Collection was first opened to the public in 1900.