Celebrating life at Barchester

We spent the morning exploring the market and even made some new feathered friends along the way. Our lovely Barbra spent the some of her morning reminiscing about the shops she remembers from years ago that are no longer there.It was so wonderful to hear her stories of how the Abbey used to look. 

We also popped by to see the amazing Kim at her market stall, who has been a friendly face in the Abbey for many years!

Even though the church was closed today, we didn't let that stop us from getting a group picture in the wind 💨 We finished our trip by warming up with a relaxing cup of tea and a good chat. So many smiles and so much history.

It was a lovely afternoon for the residents on our Birch Lane community, playing skittles and catch! The skittles became quite a competitive game and residents had a real giggle trying to beat each other. Games like these are a perfect way to introduce fun to their continued hand-eye coordination skills.

Our residents enjoyed a lovely bacon butty brunch, joined by members of the management team and visiting family. 

With reminiscing music playing in the background, the daily paper to hand, and plenty of laughter shared, it was a wonderful morning filled with great company and warm memories.

We finished the day with ‘Turning Pages’, a time for us to share our favourite books and reading aloud. Today we were joined by the adorable Sebastian (Sebby, Monica’s son) our Deputy General Manager  who brought a variety of marine animal themed books to share. The whale and the snail and Tiny whale. They were delighted with his beautiful reading.

A beautiful afternoon creating May Day wish cards in a delicate decoupage style. Using layered vintage prints, patterns, and images, residents crafted a wonderful range of unique and elegant designs.

All enjoyed while listening to a soothing montage of classical music, creating a calm, creative, and uplifting atmosphere for everyone.

Then some poetry  -The Groups Favourite.

“Lines Written in Early Spring”
by William Wordsworth

I heard a thousand blended notes,
While in a grove I sate reclined,
In that sweet mood when pleasant thoughts
Bring sad thoughts to the mind.

Through primrose tufts, in that green bower,
The periwinkle trailed its wreaths;
And ’tis my faith that every flower
Enjoys the air it breathes.

The birds around me hopped and played,
Their thoughts I cannot measure:—
But the least motion which they made
It seemed a thrill of pleasure.

The budding twigs spread out their fan,
To catch the breezy air;
And I must think, do all I can,
That there was pleasure there.

If this belief from heaven be sent,
If such be Nature’s holy plan,
Have I not reason to lament
What man has made of man?

A beautiful reflection on nature, renewal, and the gentle spirit of spring 

A lovely morning of balloon volley ball and magnet game. It definitely warmed us up!

We were joined by our carers who played and chatted with our 

The magnet game is great to exercise the mind, fun cultivation and great competitiveness


 

Today we celebrated St George’s Day with a truly special afternoon filled with warmth, community, and    sunshine.

We were delighted to welcome children from St John’s Catholic School, who shared a beautiful poem that brought smiles to everyone in the room. A highlight of the day was a meaningful visit to one of our first residents, where the poem was read again—creating a touching connection through shared family ties with the school.

We were also pleased to be joined by our sister homes, Bloomfield and Kingswood, along with members of our local community and residents, making the afternoon even more memorable.

A big thank you to Amy, our Head Chef, for preparing such delicious food that everyone thoroughly enjoyed.

With the sun shining and our garden looking its best, it truly was a perfect spring afternoon. We also look forward to warmly welcoming a new resident joining us this weekend