Activities at Hickathrift House Care Home

Our residents had a very special visitor when our lovely carer Linda brought in her corn snake, Trudy, for everyone to meet! 
There was plenty of curiosity and excitement as our residents got the chance to see Trudy up close and learn a little more about these fascinating creatures. Some were amazed by her, while others were keen to have a closer look at our slithery little guest! 

A huge thank you to Linda for bringing Trudy in and giving our residents such a wonderful and unusual experience. We think it’s safe to say she really snaked her way into our hearts!   

What a lovely day our residents enjoyed a relaxing boat trip along the beautiful Norfolk Broads! 
There was plenty to see and enjoy as we gently cruised along the waterways, taking in the beautiful scenery, enjoying the fresh air and, of course, having lots of lovely conversations and laughter along the way. 

We were delighted to be joined by Sylvie’s family for the day, making the trip even more special. It was wonderful to spend time together, share the experience and create happy memories as a group. 
We were also lucky enough to spot some wonderful wildlife, including graceful swans and elegant herons, which made the trip even more memorable. It was such a joy watching everyone taking in the sights and enjoying a peaceful day surrounded by nature. 

Days like these create such wonderful memories, and we’re already looking forward to our next adventure!

In August, Kathleen's wish was granted by our 'Post a Wish' initiative. Kathleen used to pick the lavender and has such fond memories of doing this that she loved sharing with others. So, our team suggested a meaningful trip to Norfolk Lavender where she could learn more about the fragrant plant and share even more memories with us.

We spent the day exploring the acres of lavender fields, smelling all the fragrant flowers and meeting the various visitors and staff. 
Kathleen said, "The trip has brought a lot back to me. I have vivid memories of being in the lavender bushes and all the things we did. They're such happy memories. Thank you!". 

We had a fantastic time celebrating Independence Day with a fun-filled programme of themed activities for everyone to enjoy! The highlight of the celebrations was our lively Cowboy Party, where the wonderful KJ & The Catt had everyone tapping their feet, singing along and even taking to the dance floor. Their brilliant performance truly brought the spirit of the Wild West to life! 

We’ve been getting into the World Cup spirit with a range of fun and engaging activities. Residents have enjoyed choosing which country they think will win, taking part in quizzes and learning interesting football facts along the way. 

There’s been plenty of action too, with games like football toss, kickabouts, and football hoopla bringing lots of laughter and friendly competition. To top it all off, our staff have been dressing up for the England matches, creating a fantastic atmosphere that everyone has loved!    

Our residents had a fantastic time being entertained by the wonderful Songbird and The Crow! 

There were plenty of smiles, toe-tapping, singing along and even a few residents showing off their best dance moves! Alan decided to really show us what he could do by treating everyone to his impressive splits! What a star! We definitely weren’t expecting that performance! It was lovely to see everyone having such a wonderful time, enjoying the music, having a laugh and making some brilliant memories together.          

A huge thank you to Songbird and The Crow for bringing so much fun, energy and entertainment to Hickathrift House!

We had a fantastic time at Hickathrift House hosting our Macmillan Coffee Morning! There was plenty of coffee, cake, laughter and lovely company as our residents, families, community members and staff came together to support such a wonderful cause. 

Our coffee information booklets gave everyone the chance to find out more about the history of coffee, while our cupcake quiz brought out a little bit of friendly competition! A huge thank you to all our wonderful residents, families and people from the community who joined us and helped make the morning so special. Your support and generosity are truly appreciated. 

And a big shout out to our amazing Hickathrift House staff team for all their hard work, setting up and keeping the coffee flowing! 

We certainly proved that coffee + cake + great company = a brilliant morning!        

We had a wonderful time hosting a Cake & Coffee Fundraiser with the Emneth Over 60s Club, all in support of a community defibrillator. 

It was fantastic to welcome so many people into our home, there was such a lovely buzz throughout the day, with plenty of delicious homemade cakes, fresh coffee and great conversation. Our residents absolutely loved chatting with local visitors and showing off Hickathrift House.  

We’ve loved welcoming Lana, our wonderful PAT dog, along with their kind owner Sandy. These gentle companions have brought so much joy, comfort and smiles to our residents. Her calming presence continues to spark happy memories of past pets and create lovely moments for everyone in our home. We always look forward to seeing them.

This month, Betty’s wish was brought to life through our Post a Wish initiative and what a special day it was! Betty adored animals and chose a trip to Hunstanton, as she was so excited to see all the beautiful fish and marine life at SEA LIFE Hunstanton. 

While sharing her memories, Betty spoke fondly about past visits to Hunstanton, making this trip even more meaningful. In true Hickathrift fashion, we made sure it was a day to remember! Residents and staff had a wonderful time exploring the attraction, learning all about the incredible sea creatures and enjoying every moment together.            

Of course, no trip to “Sunny Hunny” would be complete without fish and chips by the seaside, the perfect way to end such a lovely outing. 

Prost! Our residents had a fantastic time celebrating Oktoberfest with a wonderful day filled with German food, drinks, music and plenty of fun! We put our German knowledge to the test with a Germany Facts Quiz, before heading off on some armchair travels through Germany, exploring the beautiful sights, culture and traditions of this wonderful country. 

Of course, no Oktoberfest would be complete without a little beer tasting! Our residents enjoyed sampling the different flavours and sharing their thoughts — with some very important taste-testing taking place! We also enjoyed a delicious German dining experience, including hearty Kartoffelsuppe (potato soup) and Eintopf, making it a truly tasty way to celebrate. 

There was lots of laughter, conversation and, of course, a few cheerful posts along the way! A wonderful day of German traditions, good food, great company and lots of Oktoberfest fun!   

We were incredibly inspired, motivated and uplifted by a wonderful talk from Guide Dogs for the Blind.
We loved hearing all about her incredible life and journey, learning more about the amazing work of Guide Dogs, and hearing stories about all the adorable animal companions who have been part of her life over the years. 

It was such a wholesome and inspiring afternoon, filled with fascinating stories, plenty of smiles and lots of wonderful conversations afterwards. A huge thank you for sharing your journey with us!   

Wow! What a fabulous afternoon we had celebrating summer with our residents, families, friends, staff and volunteers! We brought the seaside spirit to Hickathrift with a wonderful BBQ, delicious food prepared by our Head Chef Nicci, and plenty of sunshine, laughter and great company.

Residents and guests enjoyed relaxing together, chatting over refreshing drinks and tucking into all the BBQ favourites. And of course, no seaside day would be complete without a paddling pool. We then danced, sang and enjoyed fantastic live entertainment from the wonderful KJ & The Catt, with residents, loved ones and staff embracing the summer atmosphere.

It was a truly special day filled with sunshine, music, food and friendship.   

We’ve been getting active and having lots of fun taking part in Get Barchester Moving at Hickathrift House!

Residents enjoyed a fantastic range of activities, from football toss and carpet bowls to lively games of balloon tennis, bringing out everyone’s competitive spirit.

One of the highlights was using our giant piano, where residents showed off some fancy footwork while creating beautiful music at the same time.

It was our genuine pleasure to celebrate all the wonderful men at Hickathrift House on Father’s Day. They were truly treated like royalty and became Kings for the day, thanks to our lovely staff. 

At lunchtime, families joined their fathers for a scrumptious Sunday Roast made by the talented chef, Toni. In the afternoon, we were joined by the fantastic KJ & The Catt, who helped make the residents feel extra special today.