Activities at Brampton View Care Home

Staff and residents at Brampton View care home in Northampton were treated to a fun-packed hour in the company of choir leader and vocal coach to the stars, Dan Cooper, who taught them to sing two feel-good summer classics: ‘Lovely Day’ by Bill Withers and ‘Good Vibrations’ by The Beach Boys, both perfect for a summery sing-along.

In partnership with Biiah, Dan delivers regular singing events through their virtual platform which encourages people to sing for their wellbeing. A professional choir leader and vocal coach with over 10 years’ experience, Dan runs a successful choir; Love Soul Choir, and is co-director of a children’s group; Sound Pop Academy. In 2019, his choir performed with Take That. He’s also worked on TV shows as a vocal coach including BBC’s 'Little Mix The Search' and is passionate about the positive impact that singing in a group has on wellbeing. Dan truly believes in the power of singing and wants more people to experience the joy it can bring.

Dan comments: “I have the best job in the world. I am never happier than when I am teaching people to sing and seeing how happy it makes them. It was an absolute privilege to spend the afternoon with the Barchester residents and teach them these fantastic songs.”

Excitement is running high at Brampton View Care Home in Northampton where the talented staff and residents have been named the joint winners of Barchester and Lakeland Dairies’ Ice Cream Sundae competition. Their fantastic prize is a visit from an ice cream van with free ice cream for everyone at the home which has caused a great deal of excitement.

To celebrate National Ice Cream Day, residents from Barchester’s care homes and hospitals up and down the country were invited to compete for the coveted Best Ice Cream Sundae title.  The competition is run by Lakeland Dairies and the bar is set very high. Many of Barchester’s residents are very skilled cooks and everyone loves ice cream, so the competition was fierce.

The staff and residents at Brampton View Care Home put their heads together and donned their aprons to come up with the most amazing Ice Cream Sundae recipe, decorated to perfection.  Their fabulous sundae is designed as the ‘Brampton Dream Ice Cream Sundae’ and consists of delicious ingredients such as cream, coconut, fruit concentrate to provide vibrant colours, sauces, meringues, chocolates and more. The finished product was topped with fresh fruit and cream and lit with cake sparklers for an added wow factor!

The homes hospitality team were keen to dress up for the event and donned homemade ‘ice cream host’ outfits which were extremely popular. The outfits and accompanying ice cream van music sparked a reminiscence session for all involved. Both residents and staff began to share their memories of favourite ice creams from throughout their lives and why it was important to them.

Staff and residents at Barchester’s Brampton View Care Home in Northampton have hosted another of their fabulous monthly Pudding Clubs. The idea behind the club is for everyone to come along for a cup of tea and a catch up while trying out different types of puddings – what a truly excellent idea! 

Residents and staff came up with the idea to launch the Pudding Club, each month they get together to talk about their favourite puddings, past and present, and decide what they are going to serve that month.  The home’s hospitality team helps the residents to prepare the puddings, both old-fashioned and new recipes, so everyone gets to try a range of different puds.  Family members, friends and members of the community are all invited to attend and bring puddings to share too, if they wish.

In August the Pudding Club met again and Brampton View were delighted to taste test a treacle sponge. Chef Marta demonstrated how to make the treacle sponge which is a family recipe from one of our members of staff.

Residents watched as Chef Marta mixed together all the ingredients for the cake and then decorated with extra treacle and fresh fruit!

Residents and staff at Brampton View Care Home in Northampton have been cheering on Team GB throughout the Paris Olympics.  The home has been decked out with flags and residents have been enjoying all the action over the past two weeks.  Everyone at the home has loved seeing all of our amazing Olympians progress.

Sports fans at Brampton View Care Home were delighted to be able to continue the amazing Summer of Sport by watching the Games after the Excitement of the Euros and Wimbledon.  Residents and staff have had a brilliant time getting together to watch all of the different sporting fixtures from rowing to cycling, gymnastics to boxing, show jumping to judo.

To continue the excited further, Brampton View Care Home hosted their own version of the Olympic Games! With staff and residents being able to take part in traditional garden games including egg and spoon race, bowls, bean bag toss and more!

The ‘Brampton Games’ were a great success and medals were given to the winners after each game. The homes hospitality team created themed fruit platters and smoothies for the occasion.

Staff, residents, relatives and the local community came together at Chacombe Park Care Home to celebrate International Friendship Day with on Tuesday 30th July 2024. They enjoyed a summer party including a BBQ that was held in the home’s grounds, as well as live entertainment and a visit from the ice cream van.

Individuals from homes around the region including Brampton View Care Home, Collingtree Park Care Home, Chacombe Park Care Home, Elm Bank Care Home, Glebefields Care Home, Juniper House Care Home and Oxford Beaumont Care Home enjoyed a very sunny afternoon meeting new friends and competing in traditional garden games.

Guests included friends and family to the residents and staff from each home. Live entertainment was provided by Alan who treated everyone to his own renditions of classic summer music on the saxophone. A tiki bar served the guests a mixture of cocktails including a summery Pimm’s and fresh fruit juice.

A traditional ice cream van was also hired for the event which provided everyone with cooling refreshments on a hot day and an opportunity of reminiscence of ice creams and toppings throughout our lives including holidays and our childhoods. With many residents commenting that it has been a little while since they have been able to visit the ice cream van.

Senior members of staff from Barchester Healthcare volunteered themselves to be put into stocks and have residents throw wet sponges at them, which was greatly received. The residents took aim and shared a lot of laughter with staff.

Resident, Pat said, “I thoroughly enjoyed the day surrounded by lots of great people. The weather was beautiful and it was wonderful to be able to meet new friends from all around the area. The staff did a great job, not just on the day, but organising the event and getting everyone together.”

Mary-Jane Jekiel, Regional Director for the area said: “Staff from around the region are dedicated to making sure that their homes are the hub of their communities, and this event, along with all their hard work has definitely paid off. It was a resounding success! The residents had a wonderful time and have made lifelong friends to keep in contact with. We look forward to being able to repeat days like this and the joy it has brought everyone.”

Today, we are thrilled to honour and celebrate two incredible members of our team who have reached a remarkable milestone – 10 years of dedicated service! 🏆🎉

Tracy and Susan, your unwavering commitment and compassion over the past decade have made an indelible impact on our community. Your tireless efforts, kindness, and professionalism have touched the lives of so many, and we are profoundly grateful for all that you do.

Your journey with us has been filled with countless moments of care, support, and genuine connections. Whether it’s through the comforting presence you provide, the heartfelt conversations, or the smiles you bring to those in your care, your contributions are truly invaluable.

As we celebrate this incredible achievement, we want to express our deepest gratitude for your hard work, dedication, and the positive energy you bring every day. Here's to many more years of making a difference together! 🥂❤️

Please join us in congratulating Tracy and Susan on their 10-year service awards and thanking them for their outstanding contributions!