Activities at Broadway Halls Care Home

We lit up the festive season in true Punjabi style with the Ultimate Bhangra Celebration! 

Residents had an amazing time learning vibrant Bhangra dance moves and playing the dhol drum, filling the room with rhythm, laughter, and joy.

It was a day full of energy, culture, and togetherness, a perfect way to celebrate the spirit of Diwali!      

Our residents had a fantastic time taking part in a Velcro dart competition today. Residents from all floors took part. There was full of laughter, cheering, and a little bit of friendly rivalry as everyone aimed for the bullseye. 

Activities like this aren’t just about fun, they bring so many benefits, including: encouraging gentle movement and coordination, keeping minds active with focus and concentration, boosting mood and confidence, strengthening friendships through shared experiences for example, when they were at the pub either playing or watching darts. It was wonderful to see so many smiles and a real sense of achievement from everyone who took part.   

Two long-lost school friends have been reunited after 60 years, thanks to a chance glance at a newspaper and a little help from Broadway Halls.

Ray Stokes, originally from Dudley and now living in Kinver, was enjoying his usual morning read of the Express & Star when he spotted a familiar face in a story about Broadway Halls Care Home in Dudley. “That’s got to be Fred,” Ray said to himself, recognising the gentleman in the photo as someone he hadn’t seen in decades. Ray Stokes and Fred Tennant had been great friends at Dudley Grammar School between 1948 and 1953. They played football together for the school team and spent their teenage years chasing girls and going to the Savoy cinema in Netherton with their friend Les – who sadly passed away some years ago.

Curious and hopeful, Ray decided to email the care home to ask if the man in the article was indeed Fred Tennant.

Scott, our Activities Lead, received the message and went straight to Fred with the question. Fred’s face immediately lit up. “Of course I remember Ray!” he said with a big smile. “We were great mates – I never forgot him.” Scott quickly got to work organising a reunion. Within a couple of days, Ray arrived at Broadway Halls, book in hand filled with old photographs, newspaper clippings – including a treasured piece on Wolves winning the FA Cup – and plenty of memories.

The meeting was full of laughter and storytelling. They reminisced about their schooldays, football matches, first loves, and old adventures – including the time Ray joked that Fred had “run off with his girlfriend” back in the day. Life had taken them in different directions after they left school: Fred became an accountant, Les joined the police, and Ray went into sales.

They had briefly crossed paths in 1965 at Carters in Birmingham, where Fred was working in accounts and Ray was delivering air conditioning parts. That fleeting moment turned out to be the last time they saw each other until now.

“It’s been absolutely wonderful,” said Ray. “We picked up right where we left off. It’s brought back so many good memories.” Fred agreed, adding, “Seeing Ray again has made my year. It’s like no time has passed.”

The two old friends are already planning their next meet-up and they hope others from their school days might still be out there, willing to join them for a catch-up.  If you went to Dudley Grammar School between 1948 and 1953 and remember Fred, Ray, or Les, especially if John Darby and Ken Williams are still with us, the team at Broadway Halls would love to hear from you. Who knows – another happy reunion might be just around the corner!

Community engagement is so important to us!

It was such a pleasure to welcome Kim Guest and her lovely friends from The Elton Centre – Age Concern Stourbridge. They treated our residents to wonderful belly dancing and other lively performances, and it didn’t stop there! 

Our staff and residents joined in too, showing off their best moves and having a fantastic time together. A big thank you to Kim and everyone who made the day so special. We love seeing our community come together like this. 

Our lovely residents teamed up with the Activities Team to bake a delicious Victoria sponge cake from scratch! What made it extra special was the way everyone shared their own tips and mixing methods, and family secrets were all part of the recipe! Together, they created the perfect Victoria sponge with a real personal touch with whipped cream on top. The residents tasted the leftover cake mix. It brought back childhood memories.

This week our wonderful baking club rolled up their sleeves and made a classic favourite for many residents. The bread and butter pudding in the memory lane dining room smelled amazing, and everyone had a great time mixing, layering, and reminiscing about this timeless dessert.   

Nothing brings people together quite like baking and good company at Broadway Halls. Stay tuned to see what we whip up next!

Our residents were thrilled to be entertained by the wonderful Tony Wall. Tony sang a wide variety of songs which got the residents up dancing and singing along. It was a great afternoon with team members popping in for a dance with the residents.

Thanks, Tony!  The residents are already waiting for your next visit!   

Broadway Halls celebrated an incredible milestone for our beloved resident, Babs, who turned 100 years young! She marked the big day surrounded by her loving family, dear friends, and our wonderful staff with music, laughter, smiles, and a few happy tears. 

A special letter from His Majesty the King himself, honouring Babs for this remarkable achievement!   

Thank you, Babs, for sharing your joy, wisdom, and kindness with us all. Here's to a century of memories — and many more to come.   

The sun shone brightly over Dudley on May 8th, to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day. Red, white, and blue bunting was on display in the home, and the air was filled with the sounds of laughter and music.
Dudley College students had spent weeks preparing handmade bunting for the VE Day party.
The highlight of the morning came when the ex-local MP, Marco Longhi, arrived. Dressed smartly in a navy suit, he greeted the residents and staff, he spoke warmly about his past visits to the home and shared special memories.

In the afternoon, the celebrations began with Union Jack boules. Residents were put into 2 teams, a red or blue team with a white jack ball as the target. Residents had to boule as close to the jack as possible. Residents took turns rolling their ball across the carpet, laughter ringing out whenever a particularly wobbly throw sent a boule veering wildly off course.

Near the finish line, the red team watched in fascination as the teams were tied 4-4 and needed their last ball to move the blue ball out the way for the win. Antony lined up a shot. The ball rolled perfectly, nestling right next to the jack, knocking the blue boule out the way. The red team cheered with delight. 
As the afternoon stretched on, the lounge filled with a sea of smiles, conversation, and clinking teacups. 
The 1945 victory songs were played with residents waving their hand flags. It brought back sad and happy memories. A family member of a resident said, “That’s a day she’ll never forget.” It was clear that Broadway Hall's VE Day celebration had created memories that would last for years to come. The VE celebrations carried on today with Bramford Primary Updates school visiting us with VE Day activities and games.

The residents shared life experiences, stories, and wisdom, helping children understand the past in a personal and meaningful way. The children also taught the residents about new technology and what activities they do at school and in their spare time. 

Today, our residents at Broadway Halls, celebrated National Poetry Day in the most wonderful way! We gathered together to read aloud a selection of well-loved and famous poems, sparking memories, smiles, and thoughtful conversations. From classic verses to heartfelt favourites, each reading brought its own charm and meaning.

It was fantastic to see residents getting involved, sharing poems they remembered from years ago, listening attentively to others, and reflecting on the beauty of words.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who took part. Poetry truly has the power to bring people together.  

Today we went along to west Midlands ambulance hub in Dudley where we took along lots of bags of goodies which included some delicious homemade cookies and biscuits baked by our lovely kitchen team.

As its emergency services day we wanted to say a big thank you for all the brilliant hard work they do every day for our local community!   

Keep up the great work guys and from Broadway Halls thank you!!

Inspired by watching Wimbledon, our wonderful residents at Broadway Halls have been enjoying their own tennis fun and this week, our amazing staff joined in too!

Staff from all departments took five minutes of their break to have a friendly tennis tournament in the sunshine. Our residents loved every minute cheering on the players, acting as umpires, and, of course, enjoying plenty of cake and refreshments courtside!

The weather certainly played its part, it was so hot that the matches were short and sweet, with lots of drinks to keep everyone cool. One lucky staff member even had the best seat in the house, watching all the action unfold from our “Royal Broadway Balcony!”   

Everyone was a winner today, but one resident summed it up perfectly: “Well, I’ve seen it all today on Broadway Halls Court “it’s a lot better than the professionals on TV!”

Well done to everyone who joined in and made this such a fun day!    

There was magic in the air at Broadway Halls Care Home today, as residents stepped through the looking glass into a world of wonder, laughter, and music. The dining room was transformed into a scene straight out of Alice in Wonderland, complete with oversized teacups, clocks stuck at teatime, and a cast of charming characters.

Residents and staff alike embraced the spirit of the occasion, wearing costumes, masks and a spectacular array of wild, wacky, and wonderful hats. From Mad Hatters to Alices, Cheshire Cats to Queens of Hearts and the most random hats around the world, the home was bursting with colour, character, and creativity.
But the fun didn’t stop with the masks. As the tea flowed and the cake stands emptied, the music turned up, and the floor turned into a Dementia Disco. Familiar tunes from across the decades had everyone clapping, singing, and most importantly dancing with staff. 

Broadway Halls’ tea party and disco wasn’t just about fun, it was about connection, creativity, and care. For many residents living with dementia, music and themed activities like these help unlock precious memories and bring moments of clarity and happiness. As the final notes of Dancing Queen played and the tea cups clinked in cheers, one thing was certain: this was a day no one at Broadway Halls would soon forget. In fact, plans for the next themed party are already brewing… and who knows what magical world they’ll step into next.