Celebrating life at Barchester

If there’s one thing our ladies and gets to enjoy, its sport! We’re a competitive bunch here at Cubbington Mill. Our recent badminton session brought back some wonderful memories for our lovely resident, Chris. Chris shared that she used to enjoy playing badminton after work during her time with Massey Ferguson. It was her favourite way to unwind after a busy day, and you could really see that spark of familiarity and joy as she picked up the racket again!

It’s moments like these that remind us how important meaningful activities are, reconnecting with hobbies, celebrating life stories, and keeping those passions alive. Well done, Chris! We loved hearing your stories and seeing you back in action on the court.

When George visited Cubbington Mill, we had the absolute pleasure of welcoming our sister home, Harper Fields, along with Co-Pilot George the teddy, for a lovely lunch with the residents. But also an extra bonus 2, in the form of the activity team from The Spires, another sister home of ours. It was wonderful to spend time together, share stories, laughter, and enjoy some delicious food.

Moments like these remind us how special it is to be part of a wider care family, building friendships and creating meaningful connections. Thank you to everyone who helped make the day so enjoyable. We can’t wait to do it again soon!   

Our home was filled with creativity, colour, and beautiful music as residents Maggy, both Pats and Brenda, enjoyed a relaxing arts and crafts workshop with Annette from Creative Mojo! With the soothing sounds of The Carpenters playing in the background, everyone got stuck in creating their own unique pieces, from painting to crafting. It was wonderful to see such imagination and joy shared throughout the room. 

Activities like these not only spark creativity but also bring back lovely memories through music, encouraging conversation, laughter, and connection, a truly heart-warming afternoon enjoyed by all!      

The theme for this month’s supper club was French cuisine! Our residents enjoyed a delicious French meal prepared by Richard and Hayley, with music and decorations to create a warm atmosphere. A real treat!   

The warmer weather has enabled us to finally get back into our garden.  There was lots of preparation to do before planting spring bulbs and planning which vegetables to grow this year. It was so lovely to feel the warmth of the sun and fill our lungs with fresh air!

Dementia Champion Kathy and Head of Activities Caroline completed training on our new Hapi Table for the home. Residents have been busy exploring what the table has to offer. They have said the following:-

"Isn't it clever."
"You can get just about anything."
"Isn't it wonderful?"
"You wonder how they make these things."
"Oh look at that one."
"It's amazing."
"You could sit here forever."
"All the different colours."
"You could play with it for ages."

It is fabulous to use technology with our residents and we are already seeing the benefits.

Well done to Activities Jess and the staff team on shift on Mothering Sunday, who delivered an exquisite afternoon team. Huge thank you as always to our Head Chef and kitchen team. Look how beautiful the afternoon tea was and the resident's accompanying floral table crafts. It was a splendid day when there were lots of celebrations within our home. 

We continue to love themed dining in our home, enjoying having a long table in our main dining room for mealtimes. St Patrick’s Day was a similar format, as it would be our Easter high-tea event for family and friends.       

Does life get any better?

Imagine a warm spring afternoon, amidst blooms, listening to birdsong and the click of dominoes or swish of a paintbrush, sipping a martini! We made the best of a glorious early April afternoon.

Residents enjoyed a wonderful time this Easter with everything from egg and spoon races to Bonnet parades, Easter Egg hunts and hot cross bun tasting. Having fun, enjoying the spring weather and living life!