Celebrating life at Barchester

Taking in the festive atmosphere at St Thomas’s Church in Salisbury. The Christmas Tree Festival takes place each year in the beautiful church that is located at the heart of the City. Residents created a bright and colourful tree that featured the art they had made over the last few weeks. 

Here at Milford House, residents are encouraged to express themselves through various arts and crafts mediums and thoroughly enjoy these inclusive sessions delivered by the home’s activities team, Gale and Jane. 

The Mayor of Salisbury, Cllr John Wells opened the festival and commented; ‘All of these trees reflect the values of the groups that have produced them." The Choir from Forres Sandle Manor School entertained visitors and filled the church with uplifting melodies. Resident, Joy, was visibly moved by the performance.

A trip to Café Nero followed as residents, their families and staff enjoyed a warm drink and chatted about the trees and the themes behind them and chose their favourites.

We are proud to be part of the festival for the third year running and look forward to creating next year’s entry.

The talents came out to shine as our residents helped our Chef to create the most wonderful Christmas Cake.

Making a sponge base and adding Kit Kats around the edge to make the trunk, then by building up cupcakes into the shape of a tree.

We enjoyed decorating the tree with icing, cherries and sparkles.    

A great afternoon out at Chessington Garden Centre for some Christmas retail therapy. Our residents were delighted to have a look at all the beautiful Christmas decorations and buy some goodies for their relatives. 

We enjoyed a delicious afternoon tea in the café and searched for all the Christmas Lights on our way home.        

Wow! A fantastic start to Christmas with The Jingle Bells singers performing from the Rah Rah Theatre Company. Delicious Minced Pies and Mulled Wine followed by our 2025 Christmas Light Switch on.

Residents sang along to some old time favourite Carols and feeling festive. Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas!     

This week, two of our lovely residents were reminiscing about strolling by the river in the winter, and our amazing team jumped into action! Despite the chilly weather, we took them on a trip down memory lane, and they had the BEST time! 

At Shelburne Lodge Care Home - Barchester Healthcare , we're all about tailoring activities to our residents' wishes and interests. Whether it's a walk by the river or a festive craft session, we're here to make memories!     

Happy Birthday to our lovely resident, Margret! 

We had such a wonderful time here at Shelburne Lodge celebrating with Margret this week. Surrounded by her amazing family and our caring staff, the day was filled with smiles, laughter, and lots of love.

Thank you to everyone who helped make her birthday extra special — here's to another year of joy and beautiful moments!      

An Afternoon of Music, Memories, and Joy at Shelburne Lodge. Last week, we were treated to a beautiful afternoon of Singing for Memory with the wonderful Nik Stoter! 

It’s amazing how music can bring back the words we thought were lost, and our residents proved just that – singing every word to the melodies that took them back to happy days filled with love, laughter, and cherished memories. 

We saw so many smiles, and a few dance moves too, as Nik’s tunes filled the room and brought so much joy to everyone here. It’s moments like these that remind us just how powerful music can be.       

After days of wonderful preparation, our residents, together with the Maintenance Team, Activities Team, and staff from across the home, transformed Marnel Lodge into a festive winter haven. From decorating the lounges to lighting up the gardens, everyone worked with so much heart to make the season truly magical.

On 1st December, our home came alive as our much-loved Resident Ambassador, Ian, proudly lit up the Christmas lights. The moment the home sparkled, smiles filled the room — a memory we will treasure throughout the season. Residents, families, and staff enjoyed warm mulled wine and freshly baked mince pies, creating the perfect cosy atmosphere to welcome December.

Home Manager Anju extended her heartfelt thanks to every resident and team member who contributed to the preparations, saying how proud she is of the shared effort, creativity, and festive spirit shining through Marnel Lodge. Here’s to a joyful December ahead, filled with celebration, community, and Christmas cheer!