Celebrating life at Barchester

This month, we had the honour of celebrating Joyce's incredible 109th birthday. Honouring Joyce's wishes, we kept this year's celebration intimate, sharing the special occasion within the home alongside our wonderful team and her loved ones. Our staff, residents and family came together to make her day truly memorable by reading the cards she received from the king and her family and friends. 

Our talented hospitality team created the very special cake Joyce had requested. Thank you, Joyce, for allowing us to celebrate this remarkable milestone with you. Wishing you a day filled with love, laughter, and cherished memories.

The residents marked the final stage of our wonderful Kingswood Park Flag Project, and what a fantastic afternoon it was! Nichola returned with our residents' designs carefully transferred onto a beautiful silk flag, ready for everyone to add the colour. At first, a few residents were a little unsure, saying they weren't very good at painting. But once they picked up their brushes and got started, they quickly realised they had nothing to worry about! One resident laughed and said, "I was never good at painting, but looking at that, you can't tell that any more! Hahaha!" Watching everyone's confidence grow throughout the session was so lovely. Together, they transformed the flag into a vibrant piece of artwork celebrating Kingswood's rich history and the memories that make our community so special.      

The best part is, from September onwards, our flag will be proudly displayed in Kingswood Park for the whole community to see during various events! Our residents can't wait to visit the park and see their artwork hanging alongside the other beautiful community flags. What a proud moment it will be to know they played a part in creating something that celebrates the heritage and spirit of Kingswood. 

A huge thank you to Nicola Davis Crafts for leading this inspiring project, and to The National Lottery Heritage Fund, Friends of Kingswood Park and South Gloucestershire Council for making it all possible.
We can't wait to see our masterpiece flying proudly in the park! 

In celebration of Alice in Wonderland Day, we whisked our wonderful residents away to Wonderland for a Mad Hatter's Tea Party!

The dining room was transformed into a den of delightful nonsense where everyone enjoyed a spread of delicious treats, and plenty of laughter; sprinkled with a touch of Wonderland whimsy; perfect for celebrating Lewis Carroll’s magical tale!

A huge thank you goes to our amazing Head Chef Karen and her wonderful dining team for creating such a spectacular afternoon tea. Everything was absolutely delicious, but the whimsical cake pops and scrumptious strawberry muffins were a particular favourite!

We're certainly never late for our important dates with fun here at LBG!

We were recently joined by PCSO Heather Lees and PC James Crawford from North Yorkshire Police for a Scam Prevention talk.

Over refreshing beverages and sweet treats, Heather and James very kindly shared their expert advice on how to spot and avoid scams.

A huge thank you to Heather and James for taking time out of their busy day to spend time with us. We hope to see you both again soon!

Our residents recently enjoyed a delightful afternoon celebrating National Ice Cream Day with a fun and creative ice cream sundae activity.           

Everyone had the opportunity to build their own delicious sundae, choosing from a selection of favourite ice cream flavours before adding an assortment of tasty toppings, including fresh fruit, chocolate and sweet treats. It was wonderful to see residents getting creative, chatting together and sharing plenty of smiles and laughter throughout the afternoon.

The activity brought a real sense of fun to the home, creating happy memories and giving everyone the chance to enjoy a simple pleasure in great company. Moments like these remind us that it is often the little things that bring the greatest joy.

At St Thomas, we believe in creating meaningful experiences that encourage friendship, laughter and wellbeing, and this was certainly an afternoon to remember. 

What a wonderful day we had to raise the rainbow flag in support of Pride month and in celebration of the LGBTQ+ community!

With an explosion of colour we celebrated with an incredible rainbow themed afternoon tea courtesy of the absolutely amazing Gail and Ollie from snuggle staffing, who donated their time, skill, and kindness to ensure the day was a resounding success!

We may have wished a little too hard for the sun to be out, so we brought the party indoors, opened the patio doors and let the breeze and joviality flow through the home!

A huge thank you to everyone who came along to join in the fun, and an even bigger thank you to Gail and Ollie for the wonderful food and hospitality, you are both incredible!

With love and acceptance the world is a far more colourful place.

There was a wonderful atmosphere throughout our home recently as residents came together for a delightful afternoon of music, reminiscence and friendship.

We were delighted to welcome Heather from Inner Sanctuary Reminiscence, who led a truly engaging sensory sing-along session inspired by life in 1945 and the wartime years. Through familiar songs, meaningful conversation and thoughtfully chosen sensory experiences, residents were encouraged to reflect on treasured memories and share stories from their lives.

It was a joy to see everyone singing along with such enthusiasm, reminiscing together and enjoying one another's company. The room was filled with smiles, laughter and heartfelt conversations, creating a truly special afternoon for all who attended.      

Activities such as these are an important part of life in our home, helping to promote wellbeing, encourage social connection and celebrate the rich life experiences of each resident in a fun and meaningful way.
We would like to extend our sincere thanks to Heather for delivering such a memorable session. We are already looking forward to welcoming her back for another afternoon of music, memories and friendship.

There was a wonderful atmosphere at St Thomas recently as our residents enjoyed a truly uplifting afternoon of live music.         

We were delighted to welcome a talented gospel choir to our home, whose beautiful performance filled every room with joy, warmth and inspiration. Their wonderful voices created a vibrant atmosphere, with residents singing along to familiar songs, clapping to the rhythm and sharing plenty of smiles throughout the afternoon.

Music has a unique way of bringing people together, and it was heart-warming to see residents enjoying the performance, connecting with one another and creating special memories to treasure.

We would like to extend our sincere thanks to the choir for sharing their time and talents with us. Their performance brought so much happiness to our residents, and we hope to welcome them back to St Thomas again soon for another memorable afternoon of music and companionship.

When the temperatures rise, there's no better way to cool down than with a visit from an ice cream van!

Residents, staff, and visitors at Plas Y Dderwen Care Home were delighted when our friend, Sheena Heels, paid us a special visit with her ice cream van. Everyone enjoyed a traditional whippy ice cream, bringing plenty of smiles and helping us all stay cool during the heatwave.

The visit was a wonderful opportunity for everyone across our communities to come together, enjoy a refreshing treat, and make the most of the sunny weather. It was lovely to see so many happy faces as everyone tucked into their ice creams and shared the afternoon together.

A huge thank you to Sheena for taking the time to visit us and making our day that little bit sweeter. We hope to see you again soon!