Celebrating life at Barchester

We spent a fun afternoon with Malcolm today. His sense of humour had us all grinning. We sang songs and played instruments.  

Malcolm read a few Spike Milligan poems and told some stories before we finished up with a Doris Day song. Such a fun afternoon for everyone. We can’t wait until we welcome Malcolm again.  

Our residents enjoyed a morning of games and chatter today.  We played Boggle, Kerplunk and a firm favourite, snakes and ladders.  

After lots of chatting to see who knew the rules, the games began. Lots of smiles and laughter all round.   

Another great session, and unfortunately the last, from Dan at Rise!

Dan has been incredible at getting our residents moving, having a laugh and bringing smiles to their faces here at Sherwood Lodge. We wish him luck in his next chapter and can’t wait to continue the good work with his colleagues.

Our residents had a great exercise session, and the smiles speak a thousand words for the benefit it has brought to their mental and physical wellbeing.    

What a wonderful morning taking part in Macmillan Cancer Support World's Biggest Coffee Morning campaign. We are glad to do our part in raising awards and money for such a worthy cause, very dear to everyone’s hearts.

Thank you to all the staff who contributed to making this a wonderful morning, and to all those who attended.      

Our creative residents spent a wonderful afternoon painting and decorating beautiful plaster display pieces. Each resident put their own beautiful, unique spin on their pieces and the results are fabulous.

This painting session brought our residents (and even some staff members) together in a joyful and mindful activity which benefits them in a myriad of ways.  

Our residents had a very special visitor when our lovely carer Linda brought in her corn snake, Trudy, for everyone to meet! 
There was plenty of curiosity and excitement as our residents got the chance to see Trudy up close and learn a little more about these fascinating creatures. Some were amazed by her, while others were keen to have a closer look at our slithery little guest! 

A huge thank you to Linda for bringing Trudy in and giving our residents such a wonderful and unusual experience. We think it’s safe to say she really snaked her way into our hearts!   

Our residents had a fantastic time being entertained by the wonderful Songbird and The Crow! 

There were plenty of smiles, toe-tapping, singing along and even a few residents showing off their best dance moves! Alan decided to really show us what he could do by treating everyone to his impressive splits! What a star! We definitely weren’t expecting that performance! It was lovely to see everyone having such a wonderful time, enjoying the music, having a laugh and making some brilliant memories together.          

A huge thank you to Songbird and The Crow for bringing so much fun, energy and entertainment to Hickathrift House!

Prost! Our residents had a fantastic time celebrating Oktoberfest with a wonderful day filled with German food, drinks, music and plenty of fun! We put our German knowledge to the test with a Germany Facts Quiz, before heading off on some armchair travels through Germany, exploring the beautiful sights, culture and traditions of this wonderful country. 

Of course, no Oktoberfest would be complete without a little beer tasting! Our residents enjoyed sampling the different flavours and sharing their thoughts — with some very important taste-testing taking place! We also enjoyed a delicious German dining experience, including hearty Kartoffelsuppe (potato soup) and Eintopf, making it a truly tasty way to celebrate. 

There was lots of laughter, conversation and, of course, a few cheerful posts along the way! A wonderful day of German traditions, good food, great company and lots of Oktoberfest fun!   

Last week Sherwood Lodge had a magnificent performance by the wonderful GO on Tour.

They brought theatrical excellence to the home with stand-up comedy, costume changes, incredible interactions with staff and residents, and amazing voices! One of their singers, Edna, is 93 and doing an astounding job at reaching those high notes.

The performance brought joy and reminiscence to our residents, as well as laughter and awe with their humour and dramatic costume reveals.

We can’t wait to welcome them back into our home for another incredible performance.