Celebrating life at Barchester

We were very lucky to have another wonderful performance from The Panto Divas, which included a couple of our staff members, Ali and Ann, also joining them, Jenny, Peter, Patrick and Teddy the dog. The residents all had a wonderful time watching Aladdin and the residents laughed and sang along. 

We were all given programmes with lyrics, and we were indulged in music from eras that we knew, interwoven in by the cast members who wrote the script themselves, for their audience. Renditions of songs such as ‘Summer Holiday’ and ‘If I were a Rich man’ were enjoyed by all. Oh, yes, we did!

Aliah from our activities team was happy to bring a bit of culture for the afternoon, serving up a variety of traditional Filipino foods. For tasters, Aliah served vegetable and chicken pancit (a noodle dish), chicken sisig, which is normally served on a hot sizzling plate, and lumpia shanghai, which are spring rolls usually made with pork or beef. For desserts, there were peach and mango float and ube biko, a sticky rice pudding. All these dishes were provided by her family who work within the home, Anna, one of our nurses, and Ron, who is part of the hospitality team.

Several staff members also generously contributed food and desserts. Maja blanca, a coconut dessert topped with cheese, was made by Zarah our nurse. Turon, a banana wrapped in a spring roll wrapper, was made by our night nurse Nissa. Snacks were provided by Reshelle. In the evening, chicken adobo made by Ron was shared so that residents who were unable to attend earlier could still enjoy Filipino food.
Aliah gave a talk about all the different dishes and enjoyed sharing them with the residents as it reminded her of being back in the Philippines. Aliah also wore a traditional dress called a filipiniana which is worn during special occasions. It was wonderful to see the staff and residents all enjoying the food and learning about Filipino culture. 

So many of the staff supported the event and made the food, which made this celebration possible. Their help and enthusiasm made Filipino Day special and memorable for everyone involved. 

Residents enjoyed an afternoon out at Somerset Coalfield Life at Radstock Museum. They appreciated reminiscing about school life in the 'Victorian schoolroom'. The miniature railway set up reminded everybody about how the trains used to come through Radstock. 

The old horse-drawn bakers’ cart had one of our residents reminiscing about how he used to collect the bread for his mum and get told off for nibbling the crust. We even went into the 'Mineshaft' and saw the model of the young lad wearing the Guss and Crook. One gentleman recounted how he'd been down the Kilmersden mineshaft just before it closed. All in all, a very interesting and engaging trip.   

At Fountains Care Home, we are passionate about playing an active role in our local community. Supporting Age UK Solihull is an important part of our commitment to helping older people not only within our home, but across the wider Solihull area.

Age UK Solihull is an independent local charity dedicated to improving the lives of older people. Through advice services, community support, and initiatives that help reduce loneliness and isolation, they provide vital assistance to those who need it most.

As a care home that supports older people every day, we understand how essential these services are. That’s why we are proud to fundraise and raise awareness on their behalf.
Our Christmas Fundraising Efforts

During the festive season, our residents, relatives, and team members came together to raise funds in support of Age UK Solihull.
Activities included:
•    Christmas raffles
•    Festive cake sales
•    Donation collections
•    Themed fundraising days
These events brought our home together, creating a wonderful sense of community while supporting a meaningful cause.

Thanks to the generosity of everyone involved, we were proud to present a donation of £100 to Age UK Solihull. We welcomed a representative from Age UK Solihull to the home to collect the funds. It was a special moment for residents and staff. It gave everyone the opportunity to see first-hand how their contributions help make a difference locally.

Supporting charities like Age UK Solihull reflects our wider values at Fountains Care Home — compassion, kindness, and community spirit. We look forward to continuing our relationship with Age UK Solihull and supporting their vital work throughout the year. By working together, we can help ensure older people in our community feel valued, supported, and connected.     

Residents from Fountains Care Home recently enjoyed a lovely day out at Mappleborough Green Garden Centre.

The visit was filled with beautiful flowers, colourful displays, and charming seasonal decorations that truly brightened everyone’s day. Both ladies spent time browsing the garden centre, sharing happy memories about their own gardens and favourite plants.

After exploring, they relaxed with hot drinks and refreshments in the café, enjoying meaningful conversation and plenty of smiles.

Trips like these are an important part of life at Fountains Care Home. We believe staying connected to the community and continuing lifelong interests plays a vital role in supporting wellbeing. It was a truly special day — and we can’t wait for the next outing! 

Residents at Hazel Lodge care home in Battle were transformed back to 1950s as they celebrated Buddy Holly Day on 3rd February.

Charles Hardin Holley, or Buddy Holly as he was better known, died tragically in a plane crash near Clear Lake, Iowa, aged just 22 along with fellow musicians, Ritchie Valens and J.P. Richardson.  He was a pioneering singer-songwriter, hailed as one of the greats of 1950’s American rock & roll, despite his short career.

General Manager, Rikki-Gene Bury, said: “Lots of our residents are big Buddy Holly fans and still love his music.  We’ve had a fantastic day listening to all his hits, finding out about his life in 50s America and what influenced him. We watched a documentary about his life and got creative by designing our own Buddy Holly album covers, it is amazing how many songs he recorded!”

Jean, a resident said: “I loved Buddy Holly growing up.  Listening to all his old hits has brought back so many happy memories.  We’ve all had a brilliant time reminiscing about what we used to wear and do when we went dancing!” 
 

Valentine's Day at Fountains was truly special this year! Our home was beautifully decorated, creating a warm and festive atmosphere for everyone to enjoy. Residents and visitors were treated to a live singing performance by Amy, whose joyful songs made the day even more meaningful.

Families and friends joined us for this wonderful occasion, sharing laughter, smiles, and heartfelt moments together. Delicious cakes and homemade cookies added the perfect sweet touch to our celebration.
Each resident received a rose, making the day feel extra thoughtful and full of love.

A huge thank you to our incredible chef, HSA, activity team, carers, and all our amazing staff for making this day so memorable for everyone. Your dedication and care are truly appreciated by all!

After an unannounced inspection by the Food Standards Agency, Cookridge Court are pleased to announce we achieved a 5* food hygiene rating. 

Well done Team Cookridge, especially to our amazing kitchen team, who work incredibly hard, setting high standards in our kitchen, making this happen!   

Yesterday, some of our gents took a lunchtime trip to the pub, for a pint and a bite to eat. The gents took a trip to the Brownlee Arms, which was a local pub that some of them used to be a regular in there. 

It was a lovely couple of hours out, with a delicious bite to eat and some great conversation between us all.