Kevin Riley is the Activities Coordinator at Woodland View, so it’s his job to provide the right amount of stimulation to suit each and every resident. This could be a social, physical, sensory, entertainment or a relaxation-based activity.

Getting the balance right and meeting the needs of each individual isn’t always easy, but you achieve it with the support and contribution of many others. Visitors, colleagues, entertainers, therapists and, of course, volunteers all have a role to play in ensuring a daily life that is diverse, stimulation-rich and, of course, enjoyable! Volunteers have also been a superb way of engaging with the wider community, with people being sourced from a range of backgrounds.

One of the most important factors in ‘getting it right’ in a care home is extensive community engagement. Woodland View has had a number of volunteers on-board since it opened its doors a couple of years ago. Woodland View is also very fortunate and proud to have the Barchester ‘Volunteer of the Year’ Divisional Winner 2017 as part of its volunteers. Colin Bennett retired from the financial sector in London and wanted to give something back to the community. Colin has been a firm favourite each week, playing piano for residents each Monday morning for an hour, which led to him being nominated for the award. Colin now progresses to the finals, which will be held in October in Manchester.

Our recent volunteers from the NCS, who have been with us for two weeks, have really made a difference! Residents absolutely loved the many interactions they had during the various activities, which included an afternoon tea, complete with volunteers supplying home-made cakes and conducting a couple of games of bingo; a musical concert with additional in-room one-to-one serenades to less mobile residents.

If you or your organisation are ever approached by the National Citizen Service teams in your area, give their proposal some serious consideration. I can’t praise the team leaders and the volunteers themselves enough. They helped take life, laughter and life at Woodland View to a new height and were an absolute delight to work with.

As with previous days, it was a full-on third day with the visiting volunteers from the National Citizen Service. There were many things happening around the care home to the benefit primarily of residents, but also to benefit the volunteers and their experience at Woodland View. The team of 19 volunteers delivered supervised one-to-one music therapy in residents' rooms, then later that day, performed for everyone in the coffee gounge with a guitar, a piano and some great songs.

A number of volunteers also helped out behind the scenes in the kitchen, housekeeping and laundry departments.

Although each and every one of the volunteers who have been here this week is a star in their own right, special recognition must go to Lee Cole who, together with his Grandfather, built a beautiful plant frame for one of the first floor terraces at Woodland View. The frame will be used and enjoyed by residents for years to come. Lee is pictured with General Manager, Juliet Driver, and District Youth & Community Commissioner, Jo Kirk.

Connie Taylor was voted by staff and colleagues at Woodland View as July’s ‘Employee of the Month’. Connie was both surprised and thrilled as she was congratulated and awarded a bottle and a gift card by General Manager, Juliet Driver. Everything Connie does, she does with a smile and enthusiasm. Well done, Connie!

The summer seemed to come to an abrupt end as the rain just seemed to keep on coming recently.

Day two of our team of nineteen NSC volunteer visitors was as busy as the first, with lots to keep residents at Woodland View occupied. Tai Chi, as well as well as a sensory 'What's in the box?' game ran for the morning sessions. In the afternoon, residents scrutinised and chose a range of photographs from the beginning of 2017 to date. These images were then prepared and added to a couple of scraps books – one for downstairs and one for upstairs.

Whilst the scrap books were being prepared in the coffee lounge, upstairs in the Woodland Arms, another group of volunteers were having a nice chat with other residents as part of the weekly Ladies Lounge.

With all of the activity at Woodland View, it was almost as if it wasn't even raining at all! But it was... it really, really was!

A couple of weeks ago, seven volunteers from the National Citizen Service spent three days engaging with residents and the whole experience was a runaway success, with many new friendships being formed.

Just a week after things had quietened down, Activities Coordinator, Kevin Riley, received a call from another team within the NCS who requested the opportunity to work with Woodland View in a similar way to their predecessors – and we said yes! We have never turned away from a challenge.

On the first day out of four, the group were split into three teams. Each of these teams had a different focus: gardening, painting flowers on a newly-painted fence and supporting the activities team for the day. An opportunity also arose for a couple of the volunteers to have a glimpse behind the scenes, supporting the laundry team. When asked if they were interested, hands shot up. They were thrilled and really enjoyed the experience.

Activities for the day included painted pockets, where splodges of different coloured acrylic paint are sealed in a poly-pocket sleeve. Residents on Memory Lane then spent time pushing the paint around the sleeve to create very pretty patterns.

Later, the NCS volunteers provided homemade cakes for an afternoon tea and hosted two games of bingo. Prizes were awarded for the winner of each game and residents showed their appreciation for the volunteers with a well-deserved round of applause.

Day one: success! Three more to go...

Woodland View resident, Phillipa, celebrated her 90th birthday in style over the weekend.

Pippa was joined by family and friends in a marquee on the grounds of the home. A number of staff members and fellow residents were invited to the event, which featured a lovely range of culinary delights and refreshments – and the weather held!

Pippa would like to thank all those who made her day so special.