Activities at North Park Care Home

Care home workers from Barchester’s North Park care centre in Darlington spent 24 hours on the streets from 9.00 am on July 13 to 9.00 am on July 14 to raise awareness of homelessness in Darlington and to raise funds for local homeless charities.

Staff and residents at North Park had been discussing what charities they wanted to support.  Residents at the home expressed a concern about the number of people sleeping rough in Darlington so staff decided to take part in The Big Sleep Out in order to do their bit to help.

Residents across our services had a fantastic time joining Mandy Morrow for a virtual walking tour to learn about the ‘Herstory’ of Mayfair.  The Mayfair of Nightingales may be long gone but it still holds a 20th century charm. Birthplace to the late Queen Elizabeth II, home to one of WWII's most decorated female war heroes and a tale of a wealthy Aristocrat and one of France's favourite designers.

We were delighted to take a walk down memory lane and discover stories from one of London's most iconic areas.  The experience was truly enjoyed by all.

Residents across our homes had a fantastic time during a special live virtual event, led by Jennifer and Emily from Dogs Trust, the UK's largest dog welfare charity. Jennifer and Emily took us on a journey to discover the rich history of Dogs Trust and their facilities.

Using captivating video and photo footage, our residents were able to explore rehoming centres and learn more about the highest level of welfare offered there. It was a delightful experience for everyone, especially our dog lovers.

One of our residents Dee loves to chat and reminisce about her childhood growing up on a small holding in Lauder in the Scottish Boarders.

Dees father used to break in horses for the farmers and neighbours, when safe to do so Dee and her siblings would then be allowed to ride them. Dee said she wished could be around horses again and perhaps ride one. It was arranged for Dee to visit Penshaw Equestrian Centre.

Dee had a wonderful time there being shown around, stroking and feeding the horses, Dee said the sounds and smells had taken her right back to her childhood and she said "I cannot thank Elsie, Diane and the Centre for making my dream come true. Maybe I will take up riding again!"

Residents Cathy and Shirley said they wished they could go to the seaside for a paddle in the sea one last time. Maureen said if they went, would they bring her some proper fish and chips back?

Staff at the home were delighted to be a part of making their wishes come true, as they knew how much it meant to them, and they all wanted to see the smile on Cathy, Shirley, and Maureen's faces when their wish was granted.

The activity team reached out to Beach Access North East-Hartlepool, who were more than happy to help and loaned them their beautiful beach wheelchairs. In total, five residents went to Seaton Carew, where staff pushed them down the beach, assisted them to paddle, and then poured them a glass of refreshing wine to drink while looking out to see the paddle borders and ships before heading back up for fish and chips to Maureen's delight.

Across our services we had a lovely time joining Rhiannon Watkinson from the RAF Museum London for an interactive talk exploring the exciting and innovative aviation history of Hendon.

Our residents were able to learn about the first flights from the fields at Hendon, the creation of the London Aerodrome and Battle of Britain pilots who flew from RAF Hendon.

The talk also included photographic and film material from the Museum’s archive. Residents across our homes had a fantastic time and we truly enjoyed the virtual experience.