Activities at Caldy Manor Care Home

Staff and residents were treated to an exciting live streaming tour of Knowsley Safari, hosted by Engagement Assistant, Verity Dann.

Knowsley Safari has been welcoming visitors for 50 years since it opened in July 1971.  Situated in the Knowsley area of Merseyside, the safari park is home to 750 animals on a 550 acre site, it boasts the longest safari drive in the UK.

Verity’s workshop took a peek behind the scenes at Knowsley to find out what it is really like to work in such a demanding yet rewarding world.  Residents discovered what a day in the life of a keeper entails from feeding time with the giraffes and meerkats through to training sessions and everything in between.  Verity explained some of the conservation projects that Knowsley Safari is involved with and how this is positively affecting some of the world’s most endangered species

Here at Caldy Manor we were delighted to spend time creating a beautiful floral masterpiece to enter the #BloomingBarchester competition in partnership with Blooming Haus following their amazing virtual flower arranging masterclass.  We all had a wonderful time decorating and working on our arrangements and we are happy to say we were impressed with our skills in applying all the tips and ideas learnt during the class to make a colourful floral design.

Staff and residents at Barchester’s Caldy Manor care home in Caldy were treated to a photographic tour and talk about the era of ocean travel by V&A Dundee Curator, Charlotte Hale.  The presentation forms part of a series of six talks and virtual tours that V&A Dundee is hosting for Barchester Healthcare’s care homes and private hospitals across the UK.

V&A Dundee is Scotland’s design museum, it showcases Scotland’s outstanding design achievements and features world-class exhibitions alongside the permanent Scottish Design Galleries, and a changing programme of commissions, events and activities.  

Staff and residents at Barchester’s Caldy Manor care home in Caldy were treated to an armchair work out courtesy of the Green Goddess, Diana Moran, and Shackleton’s furniture company, followed by a mindfulness session led by Shackleton’s Emma Raybould.

Diana rose to fame as a glamorous fitness guru on BBC’s Breakfast Time in the 1980’s and has made an outstanding contribution to improving the health and wellbeing of people in the UK. She now brings that experience to Shackletons as their Health and Wellness Adviser.

To celebrate National Vegetarian Week, staff and residents at Barchester’s Caldy Manor care home in Caldy were treated to an interactive virtual cookery demo courtesy of chef, Alex Connell, from Vegetarian for Life.

Chef Alex whipped up some tasty, healthy vegetarian snacks in a live, interactive cookery demo.  Much to residents’ delight, Stephen Mann, head chef had prepared the same recipes so that residents could try all the dishes. Residents sampled delicious, light and summery veggie dishes including Borlotti bean and dill pate, Greek fritters with Tzatziki and Coronation 'chicken' pastries. All finished off with a sweet and simple but totally yummy banana bread.

Alex says “It was an absolute pleasure to be able to prepare these dishes for the Barchester residents and even more so because they got to taste them, despite my not being able to be there in person. Thanks to all the chefs in Barchester homes across the country who supported me to deliver this really lovely activity.”

Caldy Manor in Caldy marked the anniversary of VE Day in style by throwing a 1940s afternoon tea party to remember.  The home was decorated in red, white and blue and residents and staff dressed up in their 1940s-inspired glad rags and enjoyed an afternoon of wartime music and dancing.

Head chef Stephen Mann whipped up a delicious selection of freshly-baked biscuits, sandwiches, cakes and pastries for the occasion, all washed down with pots of tea and a celebratory glass of fizz to mark the occasion. 

Residents listened to Churchill’s iconic speech of 1945. They reminisced about their memories of VE Day and watched clips of the celebrations that took place outside Buckingham Palace and all across London. Residents enjoyed a wartime make up masterclass and transformed themselves with a 1940’s style that had them ready to celebrate.