Activities at Laurel Bank Care Home

We were delighted to join Blooming Haus’s Christmas Wreath Making Masterclass, where Master Florist, Michal and his business partner - Michael showed us the best method to create beautiful festive wreaths.

Following the tips and ideas learnt during the amazing virtual experience, we were happy to put our skills to a test and to enter the #BarchesterChristmasWreaths competition.

We all had a wonderful time creating our festive wreath/s.

Thank you @bloominghaus for helping our residents flow into the true spirit of Noel.

A Health Care Assistant at Laurel Bank in Lancaster has received a prestigious Long Service Award in celebration of working at Barchester Healthcare for 15 years.

Kelly started at Barchester in 2006 and has worked with residents and their relatives to ensure that their needs have been met over the years. Jane McFarlane, Employee Services Director at Barchester said: “I’m always pleased to hear stories about the long service of Barchester staff and am delighted Kelly has achieved this milestone. It is dedication like this that ensures our residents are provided with a happy place to live.”

Lyndsay, General Manager of Laurel Bank said: “We’re delighted to be celebrating 15 years of loyal service with Kelly. She has demonstrated her dedication and loyalty to this home and its residents year after year. I speak for all of us here at Laurel Bank when I say that I’m looking forward to many more years of working with Kelly!”

We celebrated Remembrance Day with English National Ballet Associate Dance Artist, Richard Bermange, who led a creative dance workshop for our residents followed by a special extract of Akram Khan’s work Dust, premiered in 2014 as part of ENB’s Lest We Forget programme, commemorating the First World War.

ENB company dancers, Erina Takahashi and James Streeter performed the extract and provided some insight into this moving work.

Our residents had a wonderful time as they listened, danced and were able to singalong to famous war time music performed by ENB Associate Musician, Matt Hartley-Stevens.

Celebrations have been in full swing at Laurel Bank as one of its residents reached her centenary in style.

Sybil Hansen was joined by staff, friends and other residents as she received a telegram from the Queen in recognition of her landmark birthday. A champagne reception was held at the home and guests enjoyed a special birthday cake made by the home’s chef Grant.

Sybil was born near London before moving to Lancaster after the war with her husband Michael, an economics teacher and Deputy Head at Lancaster Royal Grammar School. Sybil has had a lifelong passion for music and she helped to organise a classical music appreciation society at Lancaster University that was well loved by many. Sybil and Michael settled in Lancaster and had a wide group of friends here, before moving in to Laurel Bank together a few years ago.

The birthday girl said: “I don’t feel a day over 80! I don’t know what the secret is, it may be good food, a good wine and of course - good company!”

Jaimy-Lee, Activities Coordinator has skilfully crafted a homemade Remembrance display of two Soldiers with the help of her partner at Alexandra Barracks in Lancaster.    The memorial is now positioned at the entrance to Laurel Bank care home where everyone can see the moving military silhouettes and pay their respects, Lest We Forget

We had a lovely time joining Chef Alex Connell from Vegetarian for Life for a Halloween-inspired virtual cooking demo.  Alex demonstrated how to prepare a few themed dishes, such as root vegetable tagine, roasted butternut squash mac-n-cheese, chocolate pots with piped biscuits and flapjacks. Our residents were delighted to be a part of this lovely virtual culinary session by tasting the vegetarian dishes from the comfort of our home