Activities at Edingley Lodge Care Home

We take a moment to pause, reflect, and honour all those who have served and sacrificed — the brave men and women who gave so much for our freedom. 

Over the last few weeks, our residents have been busy preparing something special to mark this important time. During our Knit and Natter sessions and in their own free time, residents have been knitting beautiful poppies. as well as painting or making card poppies during craft sessions.

On Friday, we came together to assemble our handmade creations into a wreath for our home, which is now proudly displayed by the entrance. It’s a lovely and heartfelt symbol of remembrance, made with care and love by everyone here.  

We had the most wonderful morning welcoming the Bits & Bobs Playgroup to our home! The mums and babies joined our residents for a fun-filled intergenerational session led by the lovely Grace!

The children absolutely loved exploring! They ran around the lounges, peeked into different rooms, and brought so much energy and joy wherever they went. The bubbles were a huge hit, and they finished the morning off with some lovely music time. 

The smiles, giggles, and chatter lit up the whole home — our residents were over the moon, and it really created such a happy atmosphere.   

Today is also World Mental Health Day, and we couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate. Moments like these are such a lovely reminder of how important connection, laughter, and kindness are for our wellbeing — no matter our age.

This past weekend we had the absolute joy of celebrating the incredible milestone of our wonderful resident Roy, who turned 100 years young! Roy’s birthday was so special that we enjoyed two full days of celebrations. On Sunday, Roy was surprised by his close family, some who had travelled from different parts of the world to spend the day with him. It was a heartwarming afternoon filled with delicious buffet food prepared by our amazing chef, a spectacular birthday cake, and, most importantly, time together with his loved ones.

On Monday, the celebrations continued in a way that couldn’t have been more perfect for Roy. Having grown up with a lifelong love of motorbikes, we put out a simple request to our local community for a few bikers to join us and wish him a happy birthday. To our amazement, over 50 bikers arrived! 
The morning was filled with the sights and sounds Roy had loved all his life — gleaming bikes of every kind and, even more importantly, kind-hearted people who gave their time to make his day unforgettable. Strangers came with thoughtful birthday cards, meaningful gifts, and even a hand-drawn card for the birthday boy. One biker even gave Roy the chance to rev the engine of his bike. To see Roy’s face light up as he admired the bikes, chatted with riders and soaked up the atmosphere, was something none of us will forget. 

Roy expressed how much of a beauty all the bikes were! Everyone stood together to sing Happy Birthday, and the joy on his face said it all. Roy himself said he was at a loss for words and beyond happy, which summed up the incredible feeling of the day. For Roy, motorbikes have been a passion since his younger years, and it was incredibly moving to see him surrounded by something so close to his heart — he said it brought back lots of happy memories. After such an exciting morning, we ended the day with Roy opening his presents and cards from us all. And thanks to the kindness of other Barchester homes across the country, Roy received cards not only from nearby but also from Wales, Scotland, and beyond. These are now proudly displayed in his room for him to enjoy. It was an amazing celebration for an amazing man— one filled with love, laughter, and community spirit.

In the afternoon, we concentrated on celebrating International Men’s Day. Our planned trip to the pub didn’t quite work out… so we decided to bring the pub to our gentlemen instead! 

We put together a proper pub-style trolley stocked with pork scratchings, nuts, crisps, and a selection of beers, and visited the gentlemen’s rooms to give them their own mini-pub experience right here at home. One of our residents said it reminds him of happy memories that we reminisced on together. 

A day full of creativity, fun, and thoughtful moments.    

On Tuesday, our home was filled with pink, positivity and purpose as we celebrated Wear It Pink Day to raise awareness for Breast Cancer Now. Both residents and staff joined in the fun — dressed in every shade of pink imaginable! The lounge looked beautiful, decorated in pink to match everyone’s outfits.

In the afternoon, we enjoyed delicious homemade cakes and scones made by our wonderful chef — the perfect way to celebrate together. We took cakes around to residents’ rooms (all dressed in pink, of course!) and everyone was so grateful, saying how tasty they were.

It was a truly lovely and meaningful day — full of fun and colour. We’re so proud to support such an important cause.      

Emergency Services Day was a day truly fun-filled and meaningful, as we came together to celebrate Emergency Services Day and say a heartfelt thank you to those who do so much for us. In the morning, we were delighted to welcome members of the ambulance service, and In the afternoon the firefighters joined us too. Both were gifted cakes to enjoy here with us, as well as sweet treats and extra cakes to take back to share with their colleagues—they were so grateful, and it was lovely to see their smiles. 

We also made sure our nurses and local surgeries knew how appreciated they are, with a few little goodies to brighten their day. The real joy came from the chats, the smiles, and the gratitude shared—it reminded us just how important it is to stop and acknowledge the amazing work these teams do every single day. Thank you to all who keep us safe, supported, and cared for—you are truly appreciated.

We had the most wonderful evening on Wednesday celebrating Bonfire Night together! Everyone gathered to watch our fantastic firework display — some residents wrapped up warm to enjoy the show from the patio, while others watched from the comfort of indoors. We kept cosy with mulled wine and hot chocolates topped with cream and marshmallows, which went down a treat. 

Later, we tucked into a delicious spread of proper bonfire food — hot dogs, burgers, fried onions, chips and mushy peas — followed by chocolate-covered marshmallows for dessert.  It was lovely to see so many family members and friends come along to attend the celebrations. The smiles and warmth of the evening made it truly special for everyone involved.      

To celebrate World Food Day, we spent the afternoon tasting delicious cuisines from all around the world — and what a treat it was! 

We prepared a wonderful selection of dishes and took them around the home so everyone who wanted to could have a taste. From Turkish baklava and French macarons to Italian puff pastry treats, every bite was full of flavour!

We also enjoyed falafel and hummus as well as tortilla chips with salsa and guacamole inspired by Mexico 🇲🇽, and some classic Indian onion bhajis and samosas served with tasty mango chutney.

Alongside the tasty treats, we added some fun with an Oomph! World Food Quiz on our trolley — testing everyone’s knowledge about international dishes and ingredients! Our residents loved trying something new (and revisiting a few favourites!) — there were lots of smiles and great conversations about travel, food, and memories.      

What a brilliant afternoon we had when ZooLab came to visit! We gathered in the lounge with all the residents who wanted to join in (and a few who preferred to watch from a comfy distance) and spent time meeting some truly fascinating creatures. Everyone was so eager to get involved — there was lots of laughter and excitement as residents took turns to observe, gently touch, and even hold the animals. 

We met a corn snake, a giant snail, a spider, a millipede, a frog, and a tortoise, while learning amazing facts about each one. To make sure no one missed out, a couple of the animals were also taken along to visit a resident in their room so they could enjoy the experience too — a really thoughtful touch that meant a lot. It was such an interesting and memorable afternoon, full of smiles, curiosity, and conversation. Many residents said how much they loved it — and how wonderful it was to learn something new!

We recently had the pleasure of a truly wonderful trip aboard the Newark Crusader—and what a memorable day it was!
Our adventure began with everyone excitedly hopping aboard the bus, ready for a day out on the water. Once we arrived, we made our way onto the boat, found our seats, and set off for a peaceful and picturesque journey along the river.

We cruised gently down to Farnham Marina, taking in the calm water and stunning surroundings, before turning and heading back upstream toward Newark Lock. It was a real highlight as we experienced going through the lock—a first for many of us, and a fascinating part of the journey that everyone really enjoyed! We were also lucky enough to be joined by some of our residents’ family members, which made the day feel even more special. Sharing the experience with loved ones brought extra smiles, laughter, and lovely moments to remember.

From there, we continued past the beautiful Newark Castle, all the way to the top of the route before turning around again to head back to our starting point, Newark Marina. Along the way, we soaked up the sights of nature—spotting birds, ducks, and peaceful riverside scenery. There was plenty of chatter, laughter, and moments of quiet appreciation as the world gently floated by.
We enjoyed a delicious lunch on board made by our lovely chef, which made the experience even more special.  We were then treated with a lovely cup of tea or coffee served by the kind and welcoming staff on board. Their hospitality really added to the enjoyment of the day.

To top it all off, the sunshine stayed with us throughout the cruise, only turning to rain just as we were stepping back onto the bus—perfect timing!