Celebrating life at Barchester

At Ashfields we celebrate birthdays not just as a mark of ageing another year but as a celebration of life, achievements, and personal growth. It's a time for reflection, gratitude, and looking forward to future possibilities. Birthdays provide a special opportunity for us to help residents to gather with loved ones and create lasting memories.

We were joined by Nick Stevenson at the request of Residents to entertain all the guests for the joint birthday of resident Brian and his Granddaughter Sienna. Our Chef made a special Birthday cake and there were smiles all around.

Residents enjoyed flipping and tossing, squeezing lemons and sprinkling sugar, the range of toppings sparked much laughter and conversation!

The ‘Pancake wagon’ – their adorned trolley – did the rounds, so those in the  Wimborne dining room, lounge, conservatory, quiet reading corners, bedrooms and even in the bistro area all had the chance for ‘a flipping good time’! Senior Activities Lead Zoe Freeman and second Chef Anthony Hayden ensured there was an endless supply of pancakes, fun and tasty treats.

A lovely day filled with memories, traditions, laughter and good fun. All agreed that it was great to enjoy something that ‘takes us back’ and gives us a touch of familiarity with the option of something ‘new too’.

We are delighted to have passed a recent Care Quality Commission inspection with an overall ‘Outstanding’ rating - the best possible rating the home could achieve.

The CQC inspected Tixover House in November 2025 and rated the home, as ‘Outstanding’ in two areas of the inspection - well-led and caring - and ‘Good’ in the safe, effective and responsive categories.  The report stated that there was a strong sense of belonging and teamwork in the home nurtured by a very well-respected management team who encourage a culture of genuine warmth and inclusivity and where residents are supported to maintain their interests and independence by exceptionally kind, caring, respectful and attentive staff. 

Happy Valentine’s Day to you all

We hope your day was filled with love and joy.

We spent the morning enjoying some beautiful love songs with Olivia Grace Piper — nothing better than music to set the mood!

We followed it up with a delicious lunch and the most fantastic dessert to top it all off.

Love isn’t just about romance. It’s about the people who support you, the laughter you share, the kindness you give, and the care you show yourself.

What a lovely morning!

We were treated to a visit from a new talented musical entertainer, called Sophie and our residents absolutely loved it. Smiles filled the room as everyone sang along, clapped, and even danced to the music. Moments like these bring so much happiness.