Activities at Glebefields Care Home

There is nothing quite like an evening in our café  during one of our regular wine and cheese evenings. It’s a wonderful opportunity for everyone to come together and enjoy a relaxed, sociable atmosphere in their home.

The home's talented chef pulled out all the stops, preparing a wonderful selection of cheeses and crackers,  with a variety of wines and refreshing juices, to refresh the palette for the next cheese tasting.

These gatherings are a cornerstone of our life enrichment and are designed to promote friendships which support our residents stay connected and engaged.

To celebrate National Garden Day, our residents enjoyed a wonderful social time together getting their hands in the soil, planting flowers, a little weeding and sharing gardening memories. At Glebefields we know that life enrichment activities like this, not only brighten our outdoor spaces, but also boost wellbeing, spark conversation, and bring smiles all around. 

We also had some indoor potting plants that could be done at the height of the table to be inclusive to everyone not able to participate in the actually planting in the garden, it’s been a lovely day filled with fresh air, laughter, and a touch of nature’s magic and the residents, staff and visitors will enjoy watching the flowers bloom and spread throughout the summer months.  

We had a wonderful time celebrating Mother’s Day with a special afternoon tea at the care home. The lounge was beautifully set, and residents enjoyed a lovely selection of tea, sandwiches, and delicious cakes.

It was a truly heartwarming afternoon as families joined their loved ones to celebrate together. There was lots of laughter, conversation, and special moments shared as we recognised and appreciated all the amazing mothers, grandmothers, and mother figures in our community.

We continued the celebrations when our residents enjoyed a special Mother’s Day supper here at the care home. The dining room was prepared to create a warm and welcoming atmosphere, allowing everyone to come together and celebrate the occasion.
Residents enjoyed a delicious evening meal, along with plenty of smiles, laughter and good conversation around the table. It was a lovely opportunity for everyone to relax, socialise and celebrate all the wonderful mums, grandmothers and mother figures within our home.

Thank you to our fantastic team who helped organise and prepare such a lovely evening for our residents. It was a wonderful way to celebrate Mother’s Day and create more special moments together.

We held our very first Professional Networking Breakfast this morning! While it was a quiet start with just a couple of local professionals joining us, it was a fantastic opportunity for some quality informal conversations.

A massive shout-out to our dedicated Chef and Hospitality Team! They laid on a truly impressive breakfast spread that was second to none. We are so proud of the effort they put into making our guests feel welcome and well-fed to start the day! 
Calling all Banbury Professionals why not 

Save the Date for our next networking breakfast. The last Tuesday of every other month, We look forward to seeing more friendly faces (and sharing more great food) next time! 

Our residents were delighted to welcome back our regular therapy dog this week! These sessions are a cherished part of our Life Enrichment program, and for good reason.
Beyond the smiles and gentle companionship, animal therapy is one of our foundations for supporting physical health. Regular interaction with therapy animals is known to help reduce blood pressure and improve overall cardiovascular health. It was lovely to see the positive impact today, with our residents enjoying a relaxed atmosphere filled with special moments, as he visited residents throughout the home, stopping to say hello to all he met. 

Our thanks go to our dedicated Activities Team and the handler for making these recurring visits possible. We can't wait for the next one!"

It’s been an action-packed week here at Glebefields, and our residents haven’t missed a beat! From staying active to enjoying the simple pleasures of home, there is always something happening in every corner of our community. We kicked things off with our popular exercise classes to get the heart rates up, followed by a much more relaxed afternoon of intricate colouring-in sessions. 

The smell of fresh-baked cookies filled the home earlier this week—and they tasted even better than they smelled! We also made the most of the sunshine with refreshing walks through our beautiful gardens. 

It’s the little things that make Glebefields special. Whether it’s our care team supporting residents through a busy lunchtime or our kitchen assistant, Bose, taking a moment to brew the perfect "cuppa" for a resident, there’s always a helping hand nearby. 

And the Winner is... A huge congratulations to our very own Chef Bose, who beat the odds and picked the winner for the Grand National! Whether we’re baking, walking, or cheering on a horse race, life here is all about community, laughter, and great company.

Staff and residents at Glebefields enjoyed staying healthy and whatever they are trying should always taste this good. 

Our amazing chef was busy blending these vibrant, creative smoothies for our residents.
Not only were they delicious, but also packed with vital vitamins and nutrients to keep everyone feeling their best and perfectly hydrated, small sips make a big difference!

We had a wonderful Easter craft morning with a creative bonnet-making activity in the home. Residents enjoyed designing and decorating their own unique Easter bonnets using a variety of colourful materials, flowers, ribbons, and seasonal decorations.

There was plenty of laughter, conversation, and shared memories as everyone got involved and supported one another. The finished bonnets looked fantastic, and we were so proud of everyone’s creativity and effort.

A lovely morning filled with fun, friendship, and festive spirit 

What a brilliant turnout today for our Healthy Hearts Event! It was wonderful to see so many familiar faces from the local community joining our residents for a day dedicated to heart health. 

We had Seated Exercise with Jo Symons Move Together Manager from Cherwell District Council. We’re not sure what worked harder our muscles or our laughter! Jo had us all "puffing and panting" through some great stretches and lifts. The biggest giggle of the day? Let’s just say a certain hole in Jo’s sock provided some unexpected entertainment! 

A huge thank you to Edward Frape, Senior Healthy Place Shaping Officer from 'Cherwell District Council for visiting and sharing vital information on how Cherwell District Council supports our local neighbours. It’s so important to know what help is available right on our doorstep. Edward left lots of leaflets so please pop in to collect.

Our Registered Nurse stayed busy providing free blood pressure checks, while our CRM Louise Ramage hosted a fascinating discussion on how food impacts our bodies. Did you know walnuts don't just look like the brain, but are amazing for it too? 

We then refuelled with a delicious spread of nutritious smoothies, fresh fruits, honey-drizzled avocado toast, and refreshing flavoured waters. Who knew healthy eating could taste this good? 

Our creative session brought a wonderful energy to the home, filled with focused artistry and lively chatter. Residents gathered in the dining room to enjoy getting creative with the stroke of the brush, art provides a fantastic outlet for self-expression and individuality, and it was a joy to see so many residents enjoy the session and more importantly enjoy the company of each other. There was a sense of accomplishment in the room was truly infectious! We are already looking forward to seeing what our residents create next time."

We know that being able to continue lifelong hobbies or interests is a key part of our resident's identities, and we make every effort to encourage and support each resident to be able to do so.

To celebrate a decade of dedication, Snobia was presented with her 10-year service pin by our General Manager, Benazir Shakkir. She also received a £250 voucher and a personal letter of thanks from Barchester’s CEO, Dr Pete Calveley, in recognition of her hard work. Benazir shared "We are so lucky to have your passion and dedication, Snobia. Thank you for making Glebefields such a beautiful place to call home!"

Snobia has been a heart-and-soul member of our team for ten years, supporting our residents as a Housekeeping Assistant, Carer, part of the Activities team and we are also thrilled to announce that she has recently stepped up into the role of Head Housekeeper! 
 

Snobia says: "Having started my journey here as a Care Assistant, I have supported every department and have gained a deep understanding of our residents' needs. I am passionate about creating a home from home living experience; for me, that means maintaining impeccable standards of cleanliness and building relationships with all our residents."

We’ve been having a wonderful time getting ready for Easter in the care home this week! Residents enjoyed a variety of baking, decorating, and art activities, all filled with creativity, laughter, and a lovely sense of togetherness.

The Residents made and sampled some tasty nest cakes, we’ve been putting Easter Decorations around the home followed by individual art & craft time.

It was heart warming to see so many smiles and to share such special moments together. A big thank you to everyone who took part and helped make the celebrations so memorable!

Residents and staff at celebrated International Women’s Day with an extraordinary event highlighting the diverse career paths and community impact of local female leaders.

The event featured guest speaker Maria Holden CEO Sunrise Multicultural Project and Susan Bradley, partner at Marks & Clerk. Who both spoke passionately about their careers, Maria shared how the project has been running for 30 Years in Banbury. Funded by the National Lottery, the project promotes independence, running dedicated ladies' sessions and a breakfast drop-in to increase confidence and self-esteem. Bridging women from all backgrounds together through shared activities and trips.
 

Susan Spoke about her career path that led her, at aged 40, becoming a patent attorney, from early work fixing and recycling old technology for schools “We need more girl inventors,” Susan stated, explaining that a science degree is a condition for becoming a patent attorney. She discussed the dynamics of her field, noting that while you can't patent "maths," she finds immense joy in working with wave and tidal energy patents.

General Manager Benazir Shakkir said "Susan is a true role model for the next flock of girls choosing careers in predominantly male-dominated fields. Her story, alongside Maria's extensive community work to enable women in Banbury to be feel confident and enhance their abilities, provided our residents with a profound look at how far women's empowerment has come."
 

Louise Ramage gave a special recognition to Anila, who produced a commemorative video of the event that has since been shared within the community.

The competitive spirit was in full swing yesterday as residents, staff, and visitors gathered to celebrate Shrove Tuesday with a high-energy pancake flipping competition.

The home’s communal dining room was transformed into a pop-up pancake station, where the talented kitchen team served up golden pancakes. However, the real excitement began when the "Great Glebefields Flip-Off" got underway.

Residents took turns testing their wrist action, with many showing the staff exactly how it’s done. The event quickly turned into a cross-generational challenge as visiting family members and staff joined in, attempting to break the record for the highest flip of the day. Residents, staff and friends enjoyed fun filled day with deliciousness which included pancake decorating with a variety of toppings.

A live pancake-making demonstration allowed everyone to enjoy the sights, sounds, and smells of freshly cooked pancakes, creating a warm and homely atmosphere.

Benazir, General Manager at Glebefields Care Home, commented "Pancake Day is always a firm favourite here, but this year the energy was incredible. It was wonderful to see our residents, their families, and our staff all laughing together and getting stuck into the competition. Whether the pancakes landed back in the pan or provided a bit of a laugh on the floor, the smiles on everyone's faces were the real highlight."