Activities at Wimborne Care Home

We are so lucky, we have the support of ‘Cycle without Age’ and several times a month our residents get the chance to take a trip out on a double tricke, being shown the delights of our Island. Imagine someone else doing the pedalling, and you are snug with good company and the wind in your hair, seeing the beach, maybe stopping for some sights, having a natter and a gentle toot and a wave. 

It’s a joy. Hayling is a Community that recognises and welcomes the Cycle without Age Bike, plus it is flat and picturesque, so we like to make the most of these glorious days and ‘get out there’ whilst we can.

We have embraced the autumn colours with a wonderful Wimborne array of blooms, bunting and some light blankets for those who’s ‘knees need it!’. We have crafted, having lots of fun together, Hayden our Head chef has seasonal soups, roasts and curries along with his adored daily bakes. 

Gary our Head of Maintenance is clearing acorns and crunchy leaves, we have the last of the tomatoes from our garden and a few blackberries nestled in the bushes. Our family of foxes have grown but thankfully not flown!  

A local Volunteer – Rosy Raines, who also happens to be the Town Ccrier, came and shared her passion for flower arranging with us.

The jars were recycled, the flowers were trimmed and from happy residents with busy fingers the home was soon filled with little pots of colour and fragrance. Dining tables, windows sills and bedrooms all benefitted and the colour brightened everyone and everything. One of our residents was a florist and she delighted in returning to this joyous activity, others tackled a new pastime with smiles and chatter.

Wimborne is a Care Home with a great many dog lovers and those that do enjoyed National Dog Day. We enjoyed lots of 4 legged visitors and their owners. The waggy tales and wet noses started conversations and connections, it was a magical day and the smiles were aplenty. 

Visitors all enjoyed refreshments, including dog biscuits and cakes to suit! We are now aiming to be Hayling Island’s most dog friendly Care Home.

Today we saddled up for a rootin’-tootin’ good time at Wimborne Care Home with our Western-Themed Event! From cowboy hats and line dancing to country tunes and hearty laughs, our residents had an unforgettable day of fun, friendship, and frontier flair. With live country music, line dancing, Smokehouse BBQ, Smiles, stories, and moments to remember.

It was heart-warming to see our wonderful residents, family and community come together in celebration, and we’re so proud to keep building joyful, memory-filled days like this. A huge thank-you to our amazing team and all the guests who made it so special! 

Wimborne has been wrapped up. Our community really holds Wimborne in its heart. One dear lady – Charlie Richie – decided to make shawls, hand crocheted for each of our ladies. At 3 days work each she has dedicated herself to bringing a loving hug to each of them and the shawls have brought colour, warmth and hugs to all. That’s a lot of love given! 

Mind you, we have nearly as many gents, so Charlie has now announced she is on with some blankets! Watch this space. We love our community and are so very appreciative. Thank you, Charlie.

Maurice and Elizabeth have been married for 70 years.

A wonderful happy couple, Wimborne were delighted to host a Very Special Celebration for friends and family.

Platinum balloons and bunting bedecked the walls, the was a card from the King and Queen and a Cake showing the happy couple on their wedding day. They enjoyed a dance to their original wedding dance song and the singer on the day gave everyone something to join in with. The baking was beautiful and the smiles never ceased.  

Wimborne celebrated another event with some interesting and varied sharing. We collaborated with Hayling Camera Club and had a unique display of 14 photos of Hayling sights. From these residents and staff chose a favourite which will soon adorn the walls. In addition a morning of sharing favourite shots elicited some wonderful conversations and reminiscences.

The camera can tell part of the story, at Wimborne we love to hear residents complete the tale, we are a home of conversation and warmth and sharing. Of chatter and giggles, of debate and discovery, the photos gave us a great deal to discuss and enjoy.

Us chocoholics had a wonderful day celebrating World Chocolate day and all things chocolate! We enjoyed a chocolate quiz bringing back memories of our favourite chocolate boxes and their slogans, as well as enjoying some classic dairy milk, chocolate fudge cake and homemade chocolate shakes from our amazing head chef, Hayden! 

We couldn’t decide on our favourite chocolate bar but have come to the conclusion that chocolate equals happiness.     

Motorbike fan moment we spent the evening taking the men for a night to remember! We enjoyed joining the famous Hayling Bike Night and it did not disappoint joining hundreds of people from all over the south who join once a week. 

A few of our residents owned bikes all their life and felt like they were back in their community and their biker family hearing the engines roar and admire these amazing machines, we already can’t wait for another night just like this! 

Wimborne welcomed Ian and Aimee from the Community Engagement Team of Hants & IOW Fire Service. They gave a wonderfully informative and highly entertaining talk to some of our residents and community visitors about general home fire safety, with so many tips; all of interest and clearly high value. 

The talk was a great success; Ian loved our homemade cake and certainly rated this visit as one of his preferred locations, whilst some of our residents evidently enjoyed meeting a 6ft 4 gentleman in uniform! Needless to say we think we will be doing this again, you can’t be too safe!

Hayling has a unique seasonal favourite – Sam’s Sunflowers. Sam a local farmer, some 6 years ago, planted a small patch of sunflowers for his wedding, sadly the weather wasn’t kind and timing was off so he sadly had to give them away, raising funds for charity in doing so. 

This started a business that has now become ‘ Sam’s Sunflowers’ and fields & fields of Sunflowers, love is still very much in the air. A couple of our residents, soon to celebrate their 70th Wedding Anniversary enjoyed being part of a very super trip there. We at Wimborne love supporting local businesses and are delighted that Sam’s has been voted UK Sunflower Field of the Year 2025!

On VJ Day, Friday 15th August, Wimborne was filled with excitement. The sun was shining, our courtyard was bustling with a party atmosphere. Sarah Peach, our General Manager, and Zoe Freeman, our Senior Activities Coordinator, had secured Veteran Friendly Status (Wimborne the first to do so in the Barchester Family) and what better day to celebrate this achievement! 

With bunting and balloons, a sensationally tasty BBQ and live music, drinks were flowing, shade was welcome and we all had a great time celebrating with our veteran residents, all our residents and our very many guests and visitors.

Our home is right in the holiday town of Hayling Island, a place many people spend their summer and travel for miles to visit, so with this wonderful seaside on our doorstep we brought the ocean to them. 

Many of our residents dream of putting their feet back in the ocean, so we brought this experience to them. Enjoying the sunshine, paddling their feet in the water and enjoying a refreshing ice cream is the perfect way to spend a hot summer's day!  

We are excited to share with you this session of our gardening club. We planted our seeds a while ago, and now we have sprouts for our veg, it’s time for them to be planted in our sensory courtyard. 

We have planted not only pretty flowers to brighten up the courtyard, but courgettes, tomatoes and many vegetables. We can’t wait to watch it flourish! During our biweekly sessions, we enjoy picking any vegetables that are fully grown and keeping outgrowing veg healthy and watered.