Activities at South Chowdene Care Home

We received 5 eggs on the morning of the 2nd April and by that evening we had one duckling in the incubator. By the next morning there were another 2 and all 5 were with us and in the main cage by the evening. All ducklings were feeding and drinking well and were happy cuddling up in each others’ company.

We were amazed as to how fast they grew and each had its own personality. Their first encounter with water was a sight to behold and we learnt to stand well back as they got in the bowl and splashed around. Over the time we looked after them, we had lots of young visitors to meet them who were as keen as we were to learn all about them and give them a cuddle.

Residents enjoyed a relaxing evening with a glass of their favourite tipple, delicious popcorn and watching the iconic movie ‘Calamity Jane’ to celebrate what would have been Doris Day’s 102nd birthday. There was a lot of reminiscence around Doris herself and her all encompassing career as well as the role model she was seen as. Many dances and afternoons at ‘the flicks’ were recalled and there was a lot of discussion about how popcorn has always been a must at the pictures but also how it has changed over the years.

It was a wonderful way to spend an evening!

Residents and staff  dressed to impress, donned their best hats and outfits, studied the form and had their bets at the ready for the 2024 Grand National, which ran on Saturday April 13. Residents and staff got together to watch the races, and celebrated in style by having a glass of fizz and afternoon tea and choosing a horse to back whilst wearing fancy hats (all their own creations).

Julie Baron, General Manager  said: “We’ve had a fantastic time celebrating The Grand National, it is such a great event to watch and we all had fun cheering on the horses and jockeys.  We all had a little flutter between ourselves even though none of us has much of a clue about odds or form!”

Residents across our homes and hospitals had a fantastic time with vocal coach Dan Cooper from Biiah as he led an amazing sing-a-long session for residents to enjoy. Residents who joined the event were able to learn different techniques as they sang the famous ‘I Can See Clearly Now’ by Jimmy Cliff and ‘Here Comes the Sun’ by The Beatles. Across our homes there were smiles and laugher all around. The session was such a success and was great for the mind, body and soul.

We had a brilliant time across our services with Harrogate Skills 4 Living as they took us on a wonderful virtual visit to their Harrogate Chocolate Factory.

Residents were thrilled to discover details about the chocolate-making process and the fascinating journey from bean to bar, all while enjoying some delicious sweet treats.

The Factory aims to employ people with learning disabilities and autism, involving them in all parts of the process, from sorting and roasting the beans to packaging and sales. The experience was truly enjoyed by all who joined this event.

We continue to celebrate a varied life enrichment programme and across our services we linked up with other Barchester care homes and hospitals up and down the country for some interactive Beat the Clock games.  

Our residents truly enjoyed solving word puzzles, conundrums and mathematical problems as part of Barchester’s very own game show series.

Everyone who joined had a fantastic time and enjoyed some friendly competition.