Activities at Kingfisher Lodge Care Home

Our residents enjoyed a wonderful trip to Oakham Treasures, a little gem of a museum which we all found so interesting. The museum is full of vintage memorabilia, including old classic cars and tractors, a grocery store, hardware store and haberdashery. They have newspaper articles relating to the moon landing and lots of local history too, including Fry’s chocolate, a company close to our heart as it employed many of our residents back in the day. 

We all had to chuckle though when our resident Fred was in the hardware shop, and we were all reminded of the famous Two Ronnies' skit when he asked for “four candles.”  

We were feeling young again with our toddler group, the Mini Fishers. We had some perfect interactions with balloons, the shop and our target game, allowing everyone the opportunity to join the fun. And it was lovely to hear that our toddlers are going home now and talking about our residents and remembering their names and what they were doing with them in the session.

We finished off with some healthy snacks all around and a hand-puppet version of old MacDonald had a farm. We had a room full of residents and toddlers mooing and baaing alike and, as usual, lots of giggles.

We were very lucky to have Rosemary, Millie’s lovely owner, walk into Kingfisher Lodge and ask if we would like a weekly visit from her little K9 friend. Yes was our immediate reaction!

Millie is a fully qualified PAT (pets as therapy) dog and every week she volunteers to come along to have cuddles, treats and make friends with our residents and staff members all over our home.

Millie is so wonderfully behaved; residents light up when they see her, and she brings joy to every room she visits. Some of our family and friends plan their visits around our “Millie days” as they want to see her too! 

We had a mesmerising visit from the classically trained opera singer Miranda Keys. She sang some wonderful songs for us that included some well-known songs from Phantom of the opera and the residents and staff shed tears of pure emotion as she sang.

Her rendition of You’ll Never Walk Along had everyone singing, making the atmosphere electric.

She also very kindly visited one of our residents in her bedroom, who was sadly not able to make the event but who used to also sing opera herself and the moment was magical, staff said that she was so overwhelmingly happy for the rest of her day. 

We had a wonderful time celebrating VE Day at Saltford Hall with the local community and what a fantastic community it is to be a part of.

Saltford Community Association hosted a fabulous afternoon tea with entertainment including live music, wartime-style dancers, there was even a fly-by from an old biplane.

We had sandwiches, cakes, scones and lots of tea, all served by the wonderful volunteers. Families of our residents were also invited to come along, which made memories so much more special.

When we asked one resident their thoughts on the day, they said “Who doesn’t like a good old-fashioned street party? I didn’t live in Saltford until I moved to Kingfisher Lodge, but they have made me feel so at home here and a real part of the community.” 

We had the most brilliant day celebrating firefighters here at Kingfisher Lodge and what a treat to have the Kingswood Fire Brigade from Avon Fire and Rescue service visit us with one of their fantastic engines.
Children from the community were allowed to have a look inside and residents had a tour of some of the equipment it carries.

For one of our residents, it was an extra-special visit as her late father was an Assistant Fire Chief himself. She took out a photo to show the fire crew of him in his uniform. “It was great to see the engine, it brings back memories of my childhood seeing it all again. I’m very proud of my father. His job was a big part of our lives.” 

We finished the afternoon with a BBQ in our garden joined by the firefighters and sent them off with a basket of treats for the station to enjoy. All the children had a little gift of a fire vest and hat from all of us a Kingfisher Lodge as a memento of this special day. 

We couldn’t be prouder of our amazing residents, Fred and Doug, who took part in the Macmillan Cancer Support Darts Marathon at Somerdale Pavilion!

Both gents gave it their all, showing off some seriously impressive dart skills — and raising an incredible £245 (and counting!) for a cause that’s very close to their hearts. It was a brilliant day full of laughter, a little friendly competition, and a whole lot of community spirit.

Fred and Doug’s passion for supporting Macmillan is truly inspiring. Cancer has touched the lives of so many, and their efforts to help others speak volumes about their character. We are honoured to have them representing us with such enthusiasm and determination.

A massive thank you goes out to everyone who supported them by donating — every penny makes a real difference!

Well done, Fred and Doug — you didn’t just hit the dartboard, you hit the bullseye in every way! We are so proud of you both and can’t wait to cheer you on at your next event.

Our residents recently made the most of the beautiful spring weather with an exciting trip to Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm!

The sunshine brought out many of the animals, giving everyone the perfect opportunity to see them up close, from majestic lions to playful zebras and towering elephants. There was a real sense of wonder and excitement as we explored the zoo and enjoyed observing the animals in their spacious enclosures.

Midway through the day, we stopped for a delicious lunch at the zoo’s restaurant. The food was fantastic, and the relaxed atmosphere gave everyone a chance to rest, chat, and share their favourite moments so far.

After a full day of adventure, our group returned to Kingfisher Lodge with big smiles and happy hearts, already talking about their favourite animals and stories from the trip. Days like these are what memories are made of!

A special thank you goes out to Pam, a family member, and Karen, our wonderful head chef, who both volunteered their time to help make the day extra special. We are incredibly grateful for the ongoing support and enthusiasm from our volunteers, who play such a big part in creating unforgettable experiences for our residents.

What a beary brilliant day we had at our very first big community Garden Party!

Residents and staff pulled on their pyjamas, grabbed their favourite teddy bears, and joined us for an afternoon packed with tasty treats, live tunes from the amazing Nick, and endless laughter.

The garden was buzzing with chatter as everyone swapped stories about their teddies. One resident shared how she loved her teddy so much as a little girl that she hugged its ears right off! And the prize for “Oldest Bear” went to a staff member’s beloved teddy — an incredible 57 years young!

It was an afternoon full of nostalgia, giggles, and warm memories — all while raising money for a fantastic cause.

A huge THANK YOU to everyone who came, sang, danced, and helped make the day so special. Thanks to your generosity, we smashed our fundraising goal for The Barchester Charitable Foundation.

We’re already planning our next big get-together — so keep your teddies close and your pyjamas ready!