Activities at Leeming Bar Grange Care Home

Families are the foundation of society.  Now that we are able to visit each other freely again, it is more important than ever that families get to spend as much quality time together as possible.  Staff and residents of Leeming Bar Grange care home in Leeming Bar spent International Day of Families celebrating their own families and thinking about the families of others.

International Day of Families takes place on 15th May.  It was established by the UN in 1993 to raise awareness of the issues faced by families across the world. International Day of Families highlights the important role than families play in communities and recognises the changes that family structures have undergone over the years, and are continuing to experience.

Residents and staff got involved by hosting an ‘All You Need Is Love’ garden party to provide an opportunity for residents and their loved ones to come together to create meaningful memories. The sun shone brightly as singer Chris Gilly sang hits from the Beatles and 60s.

World Cocktail Day is a global celebration of cocktails, the date marks the publication of the first recorded definition of a cocktail on May 13 in 1806 as a ‘stimulating liquor, composed of spirits of any kind, sugar, water and bitters’.  World Cocktail Day invites everyone to try something new, and perhaps a little exotic, this special occasion is celebrated by cocktail lovers worldwide.

Whether you’re a tequila fan, a whisky lover, a gin aficionado or you just like to mix it up and try something new, World Cocktail Day has something for everyone. It was certainly a day of fun-filled tastings for the staff and residents at Leeming Bar Grange care home in Leeming Bar.

Leeming Bar Grange Care Home in Leeming Bar marked the anniversary of Victory in Europe Day in style by throwing a 1940s afternoon tea party to remember. The home was decorated in red, white and blue to set the scene for the homes choir to perform all the war time classics.

The kitchen team whipped up a delicious selection of freshly-baked biscuits, sandwiches, cakes and pastries for the occasion, all washed down with pots of tea and a celebratory glass of fizz to mark the occasion. 

Residents observed the national two minute silence and listened again to Churchill’s iconic speech accepting Germany’s surrender and an address from the Queen.  They reminisced about their memories of VE Day and watched clips of the celebrations that took place outside Buckingham Palace and all across London.

Residents at Leeming Bar Grange in Leeming Bar went loco celebrating Cinco de Mayo which takes place on 5th May every year.  Cinco de Mayo is a national day which celebrates freedom and liberty in Mexico. It marks the date in 1862 when President Benito Juarez sent troops to face the invading French army who were marching towards Mexico City.  The day is hugely important in Mexico and is celebrated with parades, battle re-enactments, fireworks and parties around the country.

Residents watched videos of parades and celebrations in Mexico, travelled virtually to different historic sites in Mexico, had a Mexican quiz and enjoyed a brilliant Mexican fiesta with Mariachi music and selection of traditional Mexican cuisines including enchiladas, pulled pork nachos, and tequila cocktails!

We had a lovely time joining Henry Slator for an exciting virtual event to discuss his book ‘Conversations at the Pond’.

Henry had an unusual writing journey, which many of our residents found inspiring, he underwent chemotherapy in early 2020, which allowed him to rediscover his light-hearted outlook on life by imagining conversations with creatures in and around his large garden pond and adding buckets of fun.

The entertaining Conversations at the Pond, with its mass of colourful illustrations, took our residents along his journey, they felt inspired, cheered and loved hearing all about Henry’s experiences.

Residents and the team had a spring in their step as they enjoyed another silent disco from DJ Pete. The lounge was transformed into a dance floor as DJ Pete played all the residents hits of the decades, whilst indulging in wine spritzers, sherry, and sweet treats