Celebrating life at Barchester

It is always a pleasure to attend the Cricklade Memory Café and meet new faces. They served delicious cakes along with hot drinks, and the residents really enjoyed both the journey and their time in the café. We had the opportunity to meet so many lovely new people.

Memory cafés offer great benefits for individuals living with dementia they provide a safe, welcoming space that supports social connection, reduces isolation, encourages reminiscing, and stimulates cognitive wellbeing through friendly conversations and activities.

The White Lodge residents enjoyed a truly lovely Elf Day celebration, made even more magical by Sheila and her group, who treated us to a private concert filled with beautifully played piano pieces and classic Christmas songs. Celebrations like these mean so much to our residents they bring joy, comfort, and a sense of togetherness that brightens the entire home.

Families joined their loved ones to share in the afternoon’s festivities, creating precious moments that will be remembered long after the season ends. Both staff and singers dressed in cheerful festive outfits, adding an extra sparkle and helping everyone feel the holiday spirit.

Our chef completed the experience with freshly baked mince pies and biscuits, all enjoyed with a warm cup of tea the perfect treat on a winter afternoon. It was a day filled with music, laughter, and love, a gentle reminder that the simplest moments, shared with the people who matter, are often the ones that touch our hearts the deepest.

To kick off the Christmas season, our residents enjoyed a magical surprise today a visit from an adorable miniature pony from Happy Hooves Equine Ltd - Equine Assisted Therapy.

The looks of joy and disbelief as the little pony trotted down the corridor and gently peeked into residents’ rooms is unbelievable. The atmosphere instantly lifted; smiles spread, laughter filled the air, and for a moment the whole home felt wrapped in pure holiday wonder.

For our residents living with dementia, the visit was especially meaningful. The pony’s calm presence offered comfort, connection, and a soothing sense of peace. Many residents reached out to stroke its soft coat, and you could see the stress melt away as they interacted with this gentle companion.

It was a beautiful reminder of how small moments can create big magic and how bringing a bit of Christmas cheer can brighten hearts in the most unexpected ways.

We had yet another wonderful day celebrating a birthday at Mill Court! Surrounded by family, friends, and lots of laughter, it was truly a special occasion filled with love, smiles and of course, plenty of cake.

At Ashfields Care Home our Team is dedicated to creating special memories for our Residents at this special time of year.

Our Residents enjoyed a very special Christmas Day. First opening their presents to see what Santa had delivered, enjoying a sumptuous three course Christmas lunch with all the trimmings before settling down for to enjoy the rest of the day.

National celebrations and family-friendly events are just some of the ways that we ensure the residents at Ashfields remain connected with their loved ones. 

What a magical evening spent with our lovely residents, their families and friends! The festive spirit was truly shining as the Cirencester Band   filled the home with beautiful Christmas melodies during our light switch-on.

We were honoured to welcome our special guest, the Mayor of Swindon, who spent time chatting with residents and exploring the home. A heartfelt thank you for joining us we truly appreciate your time and warm presence. She was delighted to see the wonderful atmosphere and the quality of life here at White Lodge.

Our amazing chef also prepared a delicious festive buffet featuring mince pies, quiche, sausage rolls, spring rolls, scotch eggs and warming mulled wine, the perfect treat for a cosy Christmas celebration.

A huge thank you to our incredible staff, whose hard work and dedication made this special day possible. Your care, creativity and teamwork brought the festive magic to life, and we are so grateful for everything you do!!!
 

Residents at Ashfields Care Home love the animal therapy sessions that our dedicated Activities Team organise. As one of the foundations of our Life Enrichment program, we know that animal therapy can help reduce blood pressure and improve overall cardiovascular health.

This week they enjoyed a talk from Evie's Owls before getting up close with their special visitors. The Owls even carried out individual room visits.

Animal therapy is one of the cornerstones of our life enrichment program and features regularly on our resident-led weekly activity planner.

This afternoon, our residents were treated to an uplifting mix of classic hits from the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s, beautifully played by White Horse Rock and Roll.

It was heart-warming to see how many residents including those living with dementia arrived to the lounge quietly and a little reserved, only to leave with bright smiles, tapping feet, and renewed energy. Music truly works its magic here: faces light up, memories spark, and the whole room comes alive.

We’re delighted to continue our Community Disco every month. Our next one will be on Wednesday 17th December at 2:30pm. We can’t wait to see you all again!

Residents at White Lodge enjoyed their weekly visit from our wonderful therapy dog Ciren. A huge thank you to Theresa from Pets As Therapy for bringing her along!

Ciren’s gentle nature and sensitivity to human emotion brought comfort, smiles, and meaningful moments to our residents today. These interactions help reduce anxiety, spark memories, and boost overall wellbeing.