Activities at Hampton Grove Care Home

This was a fantastic day for two of our residents at Hampton Grove, that wanted to visit Hatfield House.

Hatfield House was completed in 1611. It was built by Robert Cecil, first Earl of Salisbury and son of Lord Burghley, the chief minister of Elizabeth I.

Walking through the history of the house was amazing, seeing original portraits, furniture, books and other historical things.

We even stopped off, and had lunch there too!

The sights and sounds of a zoo can be truly uplifting.

Residents from Hampton Grove visited Hamerton Zoo.

The natural beauty, vibrant colours, and playfulness of animals can bring joy and wonder to the elderly.

Being in a natural environment reduces stress and anxiety levels, promoting emotional well-being.

Additionally, interacting with animals can provide a sense of connection and happiness.

This certainly brought happiness to our residents.

Each month we ensure our residents enjoy as many trips out to local attractions as possible. One of the highlights of this week was our day out at Lincolnshire Wildlife Park.

We had a fantastic day with a picnic and a trip to the gift shop in order to pick up some bits for the grandchildren. 

Outings are just one aspect of our life enrichment program and all the trips we take are at the request of the residents. Our monthly activities calendar boasts a range of outings and entertainment.

Residents and staff from Hampton Grove went out on an adventure to Dobbies Garden Centre. 

Instead of spending the day indoors in the miserable weather, residents and staff decided to go and have a day out exploring Dobbies Garden centre, looking around at all the lovely planets and flowers, coming up with lots of ideas of what plants they want to bring back to the home and plant in our gardens.  

After exploring around the garden centre it was high time to sit down and relax in the cafe with a cup if tea and a good slice of cake. 

Resident ambassador June Said "its so nice to get out of the home, getting ideas of what we would like to plant in our garden. Its also nice to sit and have a nice cup of tea and cake with friends."

Graham Ricketts, a resident at Hampton Grove care home in Hampton Vale, Peterborough, had the surprise of his life today, when he was presented with his cap from Bristol City Football Club

Graham, who moved to Hampton Grove care home earlier this year, was surrounded by family, friends and staff when he was presented with his cap by Daniel Baker, Home Services Advisor at Hampton Grove. The cap is given to any player who earnt a ‘cap’ when they were called up and played for the team.

The team at Hampton Grove were in communication with Bristol City and organised for Graham’s cap to be sent to the home, along with a certificate to present to him. Graham played for Bristol City from 1957 - 1961 where he made a phenomenal 160 appearances and scored 16 goals.

Hampton Grove’s General Manager, Ewa Drzewicka, said: “It is such a great privilege to be a part of something so special and unique, watching Graham receive his ‘cap’ after so many years. It goes to show that even after all these years it still means so much to Graham, bringing back so many fond memories from his playing days.”

Graham commented: “I am so lucky, to have lived the life I have lived, playing a game that I loved so much and having had the support from my wife and family. Receiving this ‘cap’ has truly cemented my experiences and love of the game, certainly something that I will treasure for as long as I can.”

Resident, Olive, at Hampton Grove wanted to celebrate her 99th Birthday with a splash, wishing to get back into the pool and have a swim. Staff at the home were more than happy to make her wish a reality proving the old adage, age is but a number.

Olive has lived at Hampton Grove for the past 11 years and is beloved by staff and residents alike. Staff at the home were delighted to be a part of making her birthday wish come true, as they knew how much it meant to her, and they all wanted to be there to see the smile on Olive’s face when her birthday wish was realised.

Staff asked Olive what she would like to do her her special birthdays wish a couple of weeks ago and, ever since then, they have been dedicated to helping her get into the pool. Olive was also supported by staff from Hampton Grove who were  there to witness this momentous occasion.

In response to this birthday wish, Olive said: “I was on the verge of tears, its been a long time since I last swam". She took to it like a duck to water. Olive, who has always been an active swimmer in her youth, want to get back in the pool and start swimming again. Olive had a great morning, followed by having a lovely birthday cake presented to her in the afternoon.

Vivacity marketing leader Claire Smith quoted "We are delighted to give Olive a day pass for Vivacity Premier Fitness so that she can come along and enjoy a relaxing swim. Our mission is to keep Peterborough Active and strive to ensure that our venues offer something for everyone and are accessible to all. It was great to hear that Olive used to be a keen swimmer and we look forward to helping her get back in the pool at the brilliant age of 99 !"

Ewa Drzewicka, General Manager at the home, said: “We believe that every moment is worth cherishing.  We want everyone we care for to know how important they are to us here at Hampton Grove. It is testament to the hard work and dedication of the team here in making our residents’ wishes come true.  It was wonderful to see how happy Olive was – and the staff loved being a part of this as well.”