Celebrating life at Barchester

We celebrate life through everything we do, from our thoughtful experiences and activities to our delicious food. We offer the latest technology as well as sensory engagement to nurture the wellbeing of our residents. With a wide variety of tailored activities and events we make sure our residents have the best physical, mental, spiritual and social stimulation, all bespoke to them. Take a look at what we’ve been up to…

Kingsland House Care Home

Anchors Away!

With the magnificent replica of Christopher Columbus’s flagship, Nao Santa María visiting Shoreham for just 12 days, we were determined that as many residents as possible had the opportunity to see this incredible ship.

That’s why we’ve enjoyed not one, not two, but three trips to Shoreham Harbour over the past week!

Each outing has been filled with special moments, whether relaxing at Port Kitchen with a cuppa, cooling down with a delicious ice cream, or strolling down to the lock gates to watch the yachts and fishing boats pass through. And, of course, every visit included plenty of time admiring the spectacular Nao Santa María in the dry dock.

For one resident with a lifelong passion for boats and ships, it was the perfect afternoon, while others shared memories of family and friends who have sailed and enjoyed reminiscing together as we watched the harbour come to life.

Kingsland House Care Home

Bees And How They Produce Honey

Residents enjoyed a fascinating talk and demonstration all about bees, honey, the excellent work their team does in Adur and Worthing, and the vital role pollinators play in our environment. Residents loved seeing real honeycomb up close and learning how bees build their incredible hives — plus tasting delicious local honey!

A huge thank you to Lisa and François for such an engaging and inspiring visit, residents were captivated from start to finish

Kingsland House Care Home

Special Trip To The Aviation Museum

Residents enjoyed the first of several outings planned to offer something a little special for some of our gentlemen, with a visit to the Wings Aviation Museum in Balcombe.

What an incredible museum, full of recovered aircraft, real human stories, and genuine artefacts and equipment from WW2 and beyond.

For one gentleman in particular, who had an amazing career as an aeronautical engineer, this was an especially meaningful treat. He made the afternoon even more special for all of us, sharing his knowledge and pointing out the fascinating details and stories behind some of the incredible flying machines.

It was a wonderful afternoon for everyone, with plenty of chatter and laughter on the minibus both on the way there and on the journey home. A lovely day filled with memories, sharing stories, and lots of smiles.

Kingsland House Care Home

Gardening Club

Residents got creative in the garden to make the most of the glorious weather. Some helped with planting and watering, while others simply relaxed and enjoyed the fresh air, sunshine and the colourful flowers we’ve been nurturing together.

Kingsland House Care Home

Trip To Brighton Sealife Centre

What better way to celebrate World Ocean Day than with a minibus trip to the Brighton Sea Life Centre, the oldest operating aquarium in the world?

Our visit became even more special when one of the residents shared that he had actually met his wife there many decades ago, when the venue hosted dances accompanied by a jazz band. It was a wonderful opportunity to reminisce and hear some very happy memories.

Everyone loved exploring the incredible marine life and admiring the beautiful Victorian building itself. Brighton Sea Life Centre first opened in 1872, making it more than 150 years old!

Residents also enjoyed the drive along the seafront, and as we stepped out onto the beach after our visit, we were delighted to find that the skies had cleared and the sun had come out to greet us over the pier.

Ashford House Care Home

Garden Party

Staff, residents, relatives and the local community came together at Ashford House in Staines to enjoy a garden party that was held in the home’s grounds on Saturday 18^th July.

Ashford House hosted a variety of activities throughout the event, including afternoon tea and live entertainment, which were enjoyed by everyone who came to the event.

Staff at Ashford House made everyone feel welcome and were delighted to see different generations having fun together.

Glebefields Care Home

Successful Falls Prevention Talk at Glebefields

We were absolutely delighted to open our doors and welcome Raj Senniappan, Founder and Managing Director of Therapies on Thames, to our community hub for an incredibly vital Falls Prevention Talk!

Raj highlighted the incredible amount of hands-on time our dedicated carers spend with residents, all with the shared goal of delivering a better quality of life. He shed light on the stark realities of falls in older people, explaining how a fall can be witnessed or unwitnessed, and the massive impact it has on independence.

Did you know that falls are the leading cause of injury, resulting in over 220,000 hospital admissions last year alone? With each hospital stay costing an average of £15k, the economic and personal impact is huge. The session covered everything from the root causes of falls, such as footwear, clothing, and blood pressure issues and looked at practical solutions like improving strength and balance through targeted therapy. Raj even shared a fantastic tip about the power of a post-lunch nap to "recharge those batteries!" Crucially, Raj highlighted that regular exercise makes individuals a massive 50% less likely to suffer a fall and 40% less likely to succumb to serious injury.

He concluded by giving a heartfelt thank you to all the carers, nurses, and general assistants who attended and shared their experiences.

Our Community Hub is Open to All! At Glebefields Care Home, we love supporting our Banbury neighbours. Our community hub regularly hosts free events, workshops, and advice sessions just like this one. Keep an eye on our Facebook Page for upcoming Events.

Baking at Pittsmead

Delicious aromas filled our home recently when our ladies gathered and enjoyed baking some delicious pastries. Our Chef, Andrew, thoroughly enjoys spending time and guiding our residents through this fun activity.

Reigate Beaumont Care Home

Summer Fair

Staff, residents, relatives and the local community came together at Reigate Beaumont to enjoy a Summer Fair that was held in the home’s grounds on Saturday 18^th July.

Reigate Beaumont hosted a variety of activities throughout the day, including a BBQ, local stall holders, community police, live entertainment, petting zoo and games, which were enjoyed by everyone who came to the event.

Visitors enjoyed plenty of refreshments, such as Pimms, burgers, cakes and ice creams. prepared by the catering team, who were hard at work making sure that a great time was had by all – it really was a team effort!