Activities at Newlands Care Home
Activities within our home are tailored around the requests of residents. Our Activities Coordinator holds regular activity meetings to seek new thoughts and ideas. The home is committed to offering a varied range of activities for all residents, from hand and nail care to gardening for those who have green fingers. We carry out reminiscence activities, including planned entertainment days, bringing the seaside into the home or dance hall meetings.
We hold strong links with the community, especially schools and local children's sports teams, who visit the home to provide entertainment and engagement with residents. We also maintain relationships with the church to ensure that residents’ spiritual beliefs are met. Externally, we have our own minibus, and outings are planned and carried out, again tailored to residents’ preferences, whether it be shopping, visits to the local pub, tea and coffee afternoons, or a scenic day out in the lakes and lovely countryside that surrounds us. However, the fun does not stop at the residents we care for, but we also hold events to involve family and the wider community.
Hlabekile Nyoni (Nayoni)
Hlabekile Nyoni known by everyone as "Nayoni" is the Activities Co-Ordinator at Newlands Care Centre as of December 2023. Hlabekile joined the Barchester team in August 2023 on a part time basis then later became fulltime at the end of December 2023.
"Nayoni" says, ‘ I love sharing my ideas and knowledge to make residents life at Newlands enjoyable and memorable for them and their families. Each day is a different day and each resident is different therefore I always put that into consideration when coming up with activities that can suit each individual. I am so glad to work with a great team throughout the home, from housekeeping, clinical, care, kitchen, maintenance, admin and managers all play a pivotal role in my work. With my strong artistic background I find it easier to come up with creative ideas. I love my job here at Newlands.
Read our brochure 'Life-enriching activities' for more information about life in our care homes.
Read our brochure
Activities and Events Partnerships
As part of our bespoke life-enrichment programmes, we host a number of live virtual events in the home on a regular basis through a number of partnerships with places of interest and world class performance companies
Life at Newlands Care Home
A Royal Celebration
On Saturday June 13th, the Queen celebrated her second, and official birthday. Residents at Newlands came together to throw a celebration fit for royalty.
Residents were treated to a special birthday dinner with a royal theme, prepared by the hospitality team. The Queen’s birthday was marked with a small celebration at Windsor Castle, where the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh are staying in isolation. Residents also took part in royal-themed quizzes, decorating royal cupcakes, reminiscing about Her Majesty’s reign, and toasting the Queen on her birthday with a refreshing glass of Pimms.
Cuppa & Chat
We hold weekly Cuppa & Chat sessions which allow residents to come together and enjoy each other’s company to combat isolation and loneliness. This week we have enjoyed talking about the Queen’s upcoming Official Birthday and spent the morning reminiscing about other royal celebrations we have enjoyed over the years.
National Biscuit Day
Whether you’re a die-hard Digestive fan, a Ginger Nut, or go crazy for a Custard Cream, National Biscuit Day, celebrated on May 29th, is the perfect day for you. And it was certainly a day of fun filled biscuit dunking, for the staff and residents at Newlands. To mark the celebration of the nation’s favourite biscuits, residents tucked into a variety of their favourite’s, which of course, were paired with a good old cup of tea. There was much fun to be had taking part in biscuit themed quizzes, socially distanced gatherings and biscuit decorating. Residents also got the chance to share a cuppa and biccy with family and friends over Skype, which is proving an invaluable way to keep residents in constant contact with loved ones, during these unprecedented times.
Tea and biscuits are a quintessentially British treat, and it was the perfect excuse to come together and have a bit of fun. Not that anyone needed too much persuasion! We are continually adapting, and finding new ways to make sure every effort is focused on creating an enjoyable environment for all of our residents, whilst adhering to social distancing advice.
International Nurses' Day
Coinciding with the birth date of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing, International Nurses Day, held on Tuesday 12th May, is a day to celebrate nurses and care staff around the world. Residents and staff at Newlands were happy to get involved by hosting a much-deserved appreciation day with pamper gifts for each Nurse & Care Practitioner.
VE Day Celebrations
Newlands celebrated VE Day with a party to commemorate 75 years since the end of the Second World War. Staff and residents, along with people all over the UK, joined together for the ‘Nation’s Toast to the Heroes of WW2’.
In light of the current situation, rather than celebrating with street parties, at 3pm on May 8th, the country was encouraged to mark the day with a nationwide toast—“To those who gave so much, we thank you"—paying tribute to the many millions at home and abroad who sacrificed so much to ensure we all enjoy and share the freedom we have today.
Residents also celebrated the occasion by making bunting, enjoying socially distanced activities and reminiscing; and tucked into a delicious VE Day buffet, complete with a red, white and blue Victoria sponge cake and Lord Woolton pie.
National Gardening Week
Residents at Newlands donned their gardening gear for National Gardening Week that took place between 29th April and the 5th of May. National Gardening Week was launched a number of years ago by the Royal Horticultural Society, with the aim of becoming the country’s biggest celebration of gardening.
A popular British celebration, Newlands joined together to plant flowers and herbs around the home and enjoyed some time in the garden with the birds. Staff and residents planted seasonal, colourful flowers and herbs and planted some tomatoes to tend to throughout the summer. Many residents thoroughly enjoy being out in the garden surrounded by nature and enjoying the sunshine.
