Activities at Harton Grange Care Home

We had a great time at the National Glass Centre in Sunderland! It was a perfect sunny day, with no clouds in sight. We felt like we were in summer, even though it was spring. We got to watch a glass making demonstration and learn about the history of glass making in Sunderland.

We were amazed by the Pyrex story and how it became a household name across the British Empire. We also saw some beautiful glass art being made by talented artists. It was mesmerizing to see how they shaped and colored the glass.

We ended our day with a picnic by the shore, enjoying the calm sea and the blue sky. It was a wonderful day out with friends!
 

What a fantastic night it was! We had the privilege of watching Elvis perform live in a special tribute show to celebrate the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla. Elvis was amazing, he sang all his classic hits and made us feel like we were back in the 50s and 60s. He even invited Anne to join him on stage and sing a duet with him. She was over the moon! Winifred couldn't stop dancing to his rock and roll tunes, and Irene got a special birthday surprise when Elvis gave her his scarf and sang Happy Birthday to her. We all got a kiss from the King of Rock and Roll and felt his charisma and charm. It was more than wonderful, it was unforgettable!
 

Celebrations have been in full swing at Harton Grange, as Irene reaches her centenary in style. We sang happy birthday to Irene early morning of 6th May and she was so happy and grateful.

Irene was surrounded by her loving family and friends who celebrated her amazing life. She was so happy and grateful that she hugged and kissed everyone, especially her daughters Denise and Anne.

Irene has a wonderful soul and a fantastic sense of humour. She always makes people laugh, even on bad days. She is much loved and respected by everyone who knows her. Our chef made a special cake for her, which she enjoyed very much. The pictures show how joyful and beautiful the day was. We are so lucky to have Irene in our Harton Grange family. Happy birthday, Irene!

We didn't dance around the maypole and we didn't find any maypole dancers. Instead, we thoroughly enjoyed visiting Butterfly World, Preston Park and the riverside of  river Tees.

David has enjoyed seeing so many butterflies, but despite of their density, he had no luck catching one - he tried so many times. Anne was thrilled to see the butterflies flying around, the fish and the small mongooses, called meerkat. As one of these mongooses was having siesta, Anne said she would like to do the same.

At a point Susan, Peggy's daughter, asked her mother why is she crying, and Peggy said: "Because I'm happy".

Spending time in a hot microclimate, we have sweated a lot. Margaret and her daughter Don enjoyed seeing so many vivid colors moving around like in an eerie tropical forest.

Across our services Residents had a wonderful time participating in an interactive virtual talk with Pippa Catterall, Professor of History and Policy at the University of Westminster, where we delved into the rich history of coronations.

During the talk, we explored fascinating topics such as the coronation chair, the crown, and other significant aspects related to King Charles' upcoming coronation. Our residents were thrilled to have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the memoirs of past coronations from 1937 and 1953, as well as learning about the coronation oath and what to expect from the ceremony, including the music, guests, and pageantry.

The memory boxes in our home are very appreciated by our residents. Irene enjoys her memory box and is very proud of this as she called it the “treasure box”.