Celebrating life at Barchester

Mick (former maintenance officer within our home) saw the train-related wish fulfilment we had done for a gentleman within our home and reached out to Laundry Sally, who coordinated with both our Dementia Champion Kathy and Activities Caroline. Mick was kindly seated with our resident for refreshments, who showed photo albums and spoke about past times and his interest in trains. 

We thank you from the bottom of our heart for sharing your passion through our doors today. You are most welcome to visit at any point.   

We recently completed a wish for two friends in the home, supported by Manton Golf Course, Rutland Water.

The ladies' time was golf, with one of the ladies spending many years as Ladies Club Captain of a prestigious golf course.

They enjoyed time putting, looking round the pro shop and having refreshments (we are still having hot cross buns!) One lady said, "It was especially nice as golf on a sunny day was the best!"      

Ronni, our beloved resident, recently celebrated her 90th birthday with a delightful afternoon tea. The event was filled with joy as she was surrounded by fellow residents, sharing laughter and stories. Adding to the festivities, her two grandsons and granddaughter-in-law joined the celebration, creating a warm family atmosphere.    

It was a heartwarming occasion, honouring not just her milestone age but also the cherished relationships she has built over the years. Everyone enjoyed delicious treats, and the air was filled with love and appreciation for Ronni’s remarkable journey.     

Ronni, our beloved resident, recently celebrated her 90th birthday with a delightful afternoon tea. The event was filled with joy as she was surrounded by fellow residents, sharing laughter and stories. Adding to the festivities, her two grandsons and granddaughter-in-law joined the celebration, creating a warm family atmosphere. 

It was a heartwarming occasion, honouring not just her milestone age but also the cherished relationships she has built over the years. Everyone enjoyed delicious treats, and the air was filled with love and appreciation for Ronni’s remarkable journey.     

Our wonderful residents helped set up a book swap table in the reception area — and what a success it’s been! From cookbooks to fiction, non-fiction, and even children’s books… there really is something for everyone. You name it, we’ve got it! 

It’s been super popular already, with lots of residents, visitors, and staff stopping by to browse, swap, and discover something new.

There’s nothing better than sharing a good book. Why not pop in and see what you might find?         

In one of our recent outings with Cycling Without Age, we celebrated a super tricky milestone — a huge success for everyone involved. This special visit gave our residents a wonderful opportunity to enjoy the outdoors in a meaningful and accessible way. A standout moment of the day was supporting Sheila onto the trike using a hoist, allowing her to take part in a peaceful ride alongside her daughter, Jane. It was a truly special experience shared by all. 

Residents Caroline and Hazel also had a fantastic outing with pilot John. Their journey included a lovely surprise with Caroline’s daughter, Fiona, at Wallingford Bookshop, followed by a scenic ride across the bridge and some classic duck feeding by the river. The day was a fantastic success and a reflection of the power of community partnerships. We look forward to welcoming Cycling Without Age Wallingford again for many more enriching experiences in the future.    

What a lovely way to celebrate Easter here at Balclutha Court! Our residents enjoyed a delightful afternoon tea filled with delicious cakes, tasty sandwiches, plenty of tea… and, of course, lots of chocolate treats.

The fun continued with an Easter-themed quiz, bringing plenty of laughs and a little friendly competition along the way! 
A real highlight of the day was our Easter Bonnet Parade. 

Our residents had previously decorated their own beautiful bonnets, and they truly pulled out all the stops – so much creativity and colour on display!

Residents have made the most of the glorious sunshine as we come to the end of the month of April. It has filled us with hope of a beautiful summer. Here at Oaklands we love nothing more than a stroll around the gardens smelling the flowers and even picking some for our bedrooms.  

We also took full advantage and enjoyed a group singsong in our courtyard and having fun with a beach ball, which provoked conversations about the beach, so we are excited to plan our trips to the seaside this year.  

We enjoy bi-weekly seated yoga sessions with Natasha, which our residents love. 

They enjoy the relaxing element of the session along with the stretching of the muscles and the variety of muscles they work as doing the sessions. Following on from this, one resident, Sarah asked for her resident’s wish to enjoy a one-to one session, and so we organised this and Sarah loved every minute of it, feeling really spoilt.