Celebrating life at Barchester

A wave of nostalgia swept through as residents gathered for a delightful afternoon of biscuit making, transforming the communal dining room in to a room of pure joy. All this took place as we celebrated National Biscuit Day.

The aprons were on with flour lightly dusted on tables and the rolling pins in hand, the residents enthusiastically worked through every stage of the biscuit making process, from kneading the soft dough, rolling it out and cutting out the intricate shapes. Freshly baked, golden biscuits were enjoyed later on in the day by the residents with a cup of tea. The pride on the resident’s faces as they sampled their own creations was wonderful.

Tina, Activities Co-ordinator said, “It was a wonderful simple activity that offered far more than just a tasty treat at the end. For our residents that live with dementia these hands-on activities are incredibly beneficial for our residents, especially those that are living with dementia, as they really provide essential sensory stimulation. Activities likes these ensure that every day is filled with a meaningful and enjoyable experience for all.”

Residents and staff enjoyed an afternoon of vibrant colours, radiant smiles and bhangra beats from Aman Singh from 'Leicester Bhangra Classes. Everyone came together to celebrate Culture and Diversity Day, with food and music.

The afternoon was very joyful and energetic as residents and staff engaged in the bhangra dancing, clapping hands, tapping feet and learning many new dance moves. Aman really created a very fun filled afternoon, as well as the dancing he also shared the history of Bhangra with everyone, making the afternoon truly inclusive for all.

Activities Co-ordinator Tina said: “It was an amazing afternoon; everyone was able to participate no matter their ability. Aman adapted his dancing for all, he also shared the history behind the dancing and with all the instruments he had with him the residents were able to really have a full hands-on experience.”

General Manager Larisa Bledea said: “We cannot thank Aman enough for making the afternoon an all-inclusive experience. Culture and Diversity within the home is a vital part of our life enrichment program, residents and staff truly enjoyed this experience in a fun way and it left everyone smiling and appreciating different cultures and traditions.”  

We spent the morning learning about cocktails for International Cocktail Day and having a little history tour of cocktails through the ages. We started in 1915 with a Singapore Sling, moved on in 1920 with a Midnight Cowboy, in 1930, a Shirley Temple and into the 1960s with an Arnold Palmer. They were only little tipples and residents could choose to have a cocktail or mocktail!  

The afternoon was celebrated with smooth jazz songs from Gabriella. Yes, the same Gabriella that entertains us with her wonderful operatic voice too. It was a real eye-opener as some residents said they did not appreciate jazz. We think we were all converted by the stunning performance!

What could be better than celebrating with our friends from Burton Hathow Prep School? We made delicious treats of sopapilla, prepared a quiz and games to share a little bit of the history of this Mexican festival and even made sombrero piñatas filled with sweets.  

The children were so enthusiastic about the smashing of the piñatas, no one held back, but it was still a battle! Eventually they were smashed, and the children were delighted. They had delighted our residents with their antics, everyone laughed heartily. After all the fun, our residents took it in turns to read stories to the class. It was a lovely experience.    

What a fabulous way to celebrate International Day of Dance!

We had a visit from Steve Mason from Lincolnshire Lindy Hop Clubs for a wonderful morning of singing and dancing. Steve brought students from Market Rasen, Louth and Grimsby to entertain and interact with our residents. The team pulled out all the stops and our home was buzzing with excitement. 

We had an absolute blast and can't wait to see them again!         

We had a lovely and joyful ABBA party filled with lots of singing and dancing. Our residents truly enjoyed every moment!

What a wonderful day we had at Mill Court for our Charity BBQ, we truly had the best time and it was so lovely to see our team, residents and members of the community come together for a song and dance and to of course enjoy a yummy spread.

Our residents had a wonderful day out in Southsea, enjoying the fresh sea air and beautiful coastal views.

The trip provided a great opportunity to relax, socialise, and create special memories together. From strolling along the seafront to enjoying refreshments and taking in the sights, everyone had a fantastic time.

Our residents recently enjoyed a lovely afternoon tea in the sunshine, complete with delicious treats, warm drinks and wonderful company.

It was fantastic to see everyone relaxing outdoors, sharing stories, laughter and making the most of the beautiful weather together.