Celebrating life at Barchester

What a wonderful afternoon our residents had today on our trip to Westover Farm Pumpkin Patch! The weather was perfect, and the atmosphere was just magical. The fields looked absolutely gorgeous, with rows of vibrant sunflowers still standing tall and bright against the autumn sky – a beautiful backdrop for our photos! The farm trail was decked out with some truly awesome decorations, making the walk to the patch a fun adventure in itself.  

Our residents loved exploring and choosing their favourites from the fantastic variety of pumpkins on offer. There were big ones, small ones, bumpy ones, and smooth ones! It was lovely to see everyone getting into the spirit of the season.

No autumn outing is complete without a warming treat! We all enjoyed a delicious hot chocolate complete with cream and marshmallows to sweeten the day. A highlight for many of our residents was simply sitting and watching the joy of the younger generations—seeing the children run around and excitedly search for their favourite pumpkin brought so many smiles to their faces.

It was a fantastic day out filled with fresh air, beautiful sights, and great company.  

Today, we had the incredible honour of celebrating our wonderful senior nurse, Ana, who reached a monumental milestone: 20 years of dedicated service at Vecta House Care Home! Ana received a wonderful surprise when she walked into reception this afternoon, where she was greeted by her colleagues and our Senior General Manager, Nichola Shepherd, ready to congratulate her on this amazing achievement.

To recognise her commitment, Ana was presented with a beautiful array of gifts, including flowers, chocolates, a special 20-year Barchester brooch, and vouchers—plus, a well-deserved glass of bubbly to toast the celebrations!  

We simply can't thank Ana enough for her unwavering dedication, her hard work, and the truly amazing care she shows to our residents, their families, and her colleagues every single day. She is a true inspiration!
Join us in sending a massive congratulations and thank you to Ana!  

Our residents told us they wanted to help spread some Christmas cheer this festive season so we got straight to work in making our own gift pouches including a heartfelt poem, candy canes, Santa chocolate coins & more to gift to our local community. 🎅 
Residents found it a bit chilly on the day so sent our trusty HSA Jo out into our local town centre to spread some festive cheer on their behalf. Safe to say it went down a storm! 🥰

Resident Ambassador, Irene enjoyed a wonderful afternoon accompanying the other residents in their Christmas Carol singing. Irene Lead the way by playing her mothers Violin whilst others sang the words. 

It was a touching moment and bought back so many happy memories for her. 

Staff and Residents at Iris Court Care Home proudly welcomed members of local veterans group “ The Muster Point” for a special “ Ploughmans and Patriots “ afternoon, which celebrated service, sharing stories and community connection.

Residents and visitors enjoyed a traditional ploughmans lunch whilst engaging in lively conversation, particulary with the homes residents who had served in the Armed Forces.

The Muster Point attendees expressed their gratitude for the homes hospitality and meaningful interaction with the residents this afternoon. The Muster point understand the importance of Veterans supporting Veterans and maintaining strong links In the community.

Following the success of the event, The Muster Point has confirmed it will return to Iris Court with its additional members in 2026, strengthening this growing partnership and ensuring continued support for local veterans.