Celebrating life at Barchester

Residents at Westergate House enjoyed a wonderful summer surprise when Paul, Senior General Manager, arranged for Pinks Ice Cream van to visit. With the early summer sunshine making a welcome appearance, together with delightfully warm temperatures, residents, relatives and staff all gathered outside to enjoy their favourite ice cream treats.  

From traditional cones to colourful lollies, there was something for everyone, and plenty of smiles to go around. The visit created a lovely atmosphere throughout the home, bringing people together to relax, chat and make happy summer memories.       

At Westergate House, we have enjoyed making the most of the wonderful early summer weather, and it’s been lovely to get out and about.  

We took a trip on the minibus to Eastergate Village Hall community coffee morning; a popular choice with our residents, providing a super chance for a catch-up and natter with good friends over refreshments – cups of tea and slices of delicious cake were delighted in!       

At Westergate House we are enjoying our trips out into the local community in the minibus. Residents were keen to join a visit to the Weald & Downland Open Air Museum, where we enjoyed strolling through the amazing historical buildings and taking in the beautiful landscape. 

To finish off the outing, there was a stop at the delightful café for coffee and cake – which was thoroughly enjoyed!

Painting brings out the creative side of our residents.

In our painting club, residents painted faces using colours of their choice. Here at Ashminster we have now learnt that one of our residents enjoys painting sunflowers.

We are looking forward to visiting our local church where they are putting on an art show for our residents to enjoy in July.        

Molly is a very keen reader of crime, love stories, and biographies. Molly invited her friends from Memory lane to join her for her very own book club.

She leads the club by going back to her days of Mandy, Jackie and Bunty books. Her friends then read out loud poems by Pam Ayers.  

Here at Ashminster House, making friends with others is so important to our residents' wellbeing.     

Our residents enjoyed another unforgettable day at Papercourt Sailing Club, returning after the success of our previous visit. The moment we arrived, the excitement was unmistakable. For some, sailing along the river is a cherished lifelong passion, and for others, it’s a new experience that brings a sense of freedom and joy.

This outing is a firm favourite among our residents, and it’s made possible thanks to the kindness and support of the local community. Their warm welcome and dedication ensure that everyone who joins us feels safe, included, and empowered to enjoy the open water.

At our home, we believe that life should continue to be full of opportunity, adventure, and personal choice. Activities like sailing are a powerful reminder that moving into a care home does not mean giving up the things you love. Our team works tirelessly to help residents stay connected to their hobbies  and even discover new ones!

If you would like to find out more about what other activites we get upto at Lotus Manor or would like to book a tour, please contact us directly on 01483 359340 or email us at lotus.manor@barchester.com

The residents turned their hand to collaging to create an animal-inspired 100 in honour of Sir David Attenborough's milestone birthday last Friday. 

They thoroughly enjoyed looking at the various animal pictures & discussing Sir Attenborough whilst Blue Planet played in the background.