Activities at Elm Bank Care Home

Elm Bank care home in Kettering welcomed African Youth Arise (AYA) to their beautiful home for an afternoon of amazing entertainment with African drums and an assortment of instruments.

African Youth Arise are a charity that is based in Northamptonshire, which inspires young people to become a better version of themselves. Mentors, Blessing and Iyanu, attended the home with young people who entertained the residents with their spectacular performance. Residents were fully engaged with some even having a go on the drums and various other instruments.

Blessing, Well Being Practitioner for AYA, said: “It was lovely to be able to come and play for the residents here at Elm Bank care home. It is the first time for us here at the home and for the children themselves it was a new experience, that was enjoyed very much so by all of us. It was great to see the residents having a go on the instruments, something new for all.”

Marvellous Bindura, General Manager at Elm Bank said: “It was an afternoon that our lovely residents will not forget. The children were outstanding, it is lovely to have entertainment that is varied and something that residents enjoy and learn from and have fun, which is very important here for all. From all of us here at the home we would like to thank the African Youth Arise for taking time out to come and perform for us, we look forward to welcoming them again.“

Our varied life enrichment programme keeps residents active, and provides a daily choice of engaging physical, mental and spiritual activities tailored to residents’ interests and abilities.

Elm Bank care home is run by Barchester Healthcare, one of the UK’s largest care providers, which is committed to delivering personalised care across its care homes and hospitals. Elm Bank provides residential and dementia care for residents from respite care to long term stays.

Never known to miss a chance for a celebration, Elm Bank care home in Kettering marked the King’s birthday on November 14th with a right royal celebration with live entertainment and delicious cakes.

Home chefs whipped up a tasty selection of freshly-baked, scones, for the occasion, all washed down with pots of tea.  Residents dressed in their best and enjoyed an amazing afternoon of live music from Neil Richardson, to mark the memorable occasion.

Marvellous Bindura, General Manager at Elm Bank care home said: “Our residents love a party and they love the Royal family so they all enjoyed the live entertainment from Neil, certainly had them all singing, it was all washed down with tea and cakes to mark the King’s birthday, for a lot of us we’re still getting used to celebrating a King’s birthday, but some of our residents do remember previous Kings.”

Residents at Elm Bank care home were in agreement and said: “King Charles has had a very difficult year with his illness so we all wanted to celebrate his birthday and wish him well.  It is wonderful to see him up and about again and we hope his recovery continues to go well.”

Our varied life enrichment programme keeps residents active, and provides a daily choice of engaging physical, mental and spiritual activities tailored to residents’ interests and abilities.

Elm Bank care home is run by Barchester Healthcare, one of the UK’s largest care providers, which is committed to delivering personalised care across its care homes and hospitals. Elm Bank provides residential and dementia care for residents from respite care to long term stays.

Elm Bank care home in Kettering were thrilled to have received a kind donation of compressed ply wood for their sensory Santa’s Grotto project.

Activities Co-ordinator Tina from Elm Bank care home was in the store purchasing Christmas decorations alongside Rob Head of maintenance for the residents of the home. Whilst browsing the store, David Gibbs a Team Leader at the local store was approached to enquire about some wood required for an activities project of creating a sensory Santa’s Grotto.

Tina, the Activities Co-ordinator said, “I am creating a sensory Santa’s Grotto for our dementia residents to enjoy as well as everyone else, family, staff and local school children during the festive period. The grotto will be a place for all to relax and take in the atmosphere of Christmas, a place to reminisce of past festive times, a beautiful escape in to an enchanting place for a while. All of us at the home are truly grateful for the donation from B&Q, once the sensory Grotto is open, it would be lovely to invite David over.”

David said, “I was touched when I learnt what the purpose of the wood was for and felt that we had to do something to help this wonderful project of creating a sensory Santa’s Grotto. It is the least we could do for the residents of Elm Bank care home. We are all excited to receive the photos of the finished grotto. I have a family member that has dementia and something like this is a very good idea. “

Marvellous Bindura, General Manager said, “All of us here at the home are very grateful for the kind donation made by B&Q. The Sensory Santa’s Grotto is a wonderful idea and will truly be a place that we are all able to enjoy during the festive period. We are looking forward to the completed project and seeing the smiles on everyone’s faces.”

Richard Jell, the owner of Richards Plants in Desborough, made a kind festive donation to the residents and staff of Elm Bank care home in Kettering, which put smiles on everyone’s faces.

The residents and staff at the home were delighted when they received a beautiful Nordman Fir tree for the front entrance of the home. The wonderful tree stands seven and half foot tall, it truly will make the entrance of the home look magical.

Richard said, “We are celebrating our 20th year of trading, and it has been truly wonderful to be able to help Elm Bank care home. I fully understand the hard work that goes in to care homes, and the importance of making this time of the year special for all, family with loved ones in the home and staff that work throughout the festive period. It is the least I could do, to put a smile on the faces of all, I cannot wait to see the tree decorated."

Marvellous Bindura, General Manager said, “All of us here at the home are very grateful for the kind donation made by Richard. We are looking forward to the tree being decorated and the joy it will bring to everyone will be truly magical, it certainly will make the front of the home spectacular.” 

Chef Jo, at Elm Bank care home in Kettering baked a delicious selection of sweet treats to raise money for Children in Need.

Children in Need took place this year on Friday 15th November, the aim of the day is to help raise money to help support local charities and projects which are providing essential frontline help to children and young people in communities throughout the UK.

Jo has worked at Elm Bank care home for two and a half years as a third chef, creating wonderful hearty meals for all the residents. Jo always had a lifelong dream of running her own business selling homemade cakes. On the 1st of September the dream became a reality as she opened Jo’s Bakeaways, which is run from her home kitchen, making cupcakes, cookies, tray bakes and all things yummy.

Residents, visitors and staff at Elm Bank care home were all very supportive and were there to support Jo in the sale of her delicious homemade sweet treats that she kindly donated to the home to help raise much need funds for Children in Need.

Jo, third chef at Elm Bank Care Home, said: “Taking part in Children in Need has been a huge amount of fun and everyone at the home has been behind me all the way. It’s for such an important cause. I’m very glad to be able to do my bit to raise both awareness and money for Children in Need and all the initiatives it supports.”

Marvellous Bindura General Manager at Elm Bank care home, said: "Jo is a very valued member of the team here at Elm Bank, and we are all very proud of her in starting her own business, which has always been her dream. Jo created an amazingly delicious selection for baked treats, and has helped raise money for Children in Need. The cup cakes and cookies along with all the other delicious sweet treats went down so well".

Elm Bank care home commemorated the signing of the Armistice Day agreement on the day that the guns finally fell silent. They joined the rest of the United Kingdom in holding a two-minute silence at the eleventh hour, on the eleventh day, of the eleventh month.

Residents and Staff marked Armistice Day by wearing poppies and observing the national two minute silence, residents also enjoyed an amazing afternoon of music from the ‘Barrack Boys’ who delivered songs from the past. Residents reminisced and told life stories from when they were younger, it was an emotional afternoon.

Marvellous Bindura General Manager at Elm Bank care home said: “We have many residents with personal ties to the military and many who have experienced conflict either at home or abroad so it was important to us to mark November 11th and honour the contribution of everyone involved in the World Wars and in subsequent conflicts.