Woodland View is doing its own thing again and having lots of fun in the process!

It is doubtful that we'll see any residents on the Wimbledon centre court, but throughout the summer, you're likely to see them playing table tennis is the gardens, enjoying some fresh air and refreshments during a break.

Celebrating World Chocolate Day, Woodland View took it upon themselves to try something a little different.

Friends and relatives were invited to the home, where chocolate creations and smaller commercial goodies were brought together for an auction. Those interested in a particular item wrote their name on a form with their bid. At the end of the afternoon, the person bidding the highest for each item got to take it away.

Samples of a bespoke and completely decadent white and dark chocolate, rum, brandy and fresh cream with amaretti biscuit torte were provided to promote this main prize. The lucky winner, Mary, wife of resident, Jeremy Carter, was able to state a date later in the year when this chocolate heavyweight would be made in time for a party she was planning.

Woodland View Care Home has hosted and enjoyed a number of poetry days over the past year but it was time to take on a slightly different angle. As usual the residents were up for it!

Those attending were presented with a number of pictures and one by one asked what things came to mind when looking at the pictures. Everyone's thoughts were written down on a flip chart, forming a list and then a little time was spent reviewing the list. The list was then stuck up and work began on a new sheet of paper. Line by line, each was transferred to the new piece of paper in an order which flowed and before long residents had created their very first poem. They all seemed quite surprised but delighted.

Using the same technique, but a different picture, a second poem was created. This time the picture used was intentionally one which would get them thinking about emotions. The end result was very different from the first. Everyone enjoyed the session and it will be repeated in a couple of week time using new pictures. When the poems library has grown enough, all the poems created will be compiled and a Woodland View Poetry booklet created.

It was the ideal, glorious, hot and sunny July day. The Woodland View Care Home minibus rolled up to St. Michael's Parish Hall and a number of residents alighted and entered the Parish Hall.

Woodland View had again been invited to attend the annual Mother's Union Strawberry Cream Tea. The large hall was packed with rows of floral decorated tables, all loaded with plates of scones, jam, strawberries and of course.... lashings of cream!

Along with pots of tea, coffee, jugs of water and lots of women buzzing with conversation - it couldn't have been anything less than a wonderful way to spend an afternoon. The event was a fund raiser so the group’s financial objective would have been very satisfactorily achieved as well, which is great to know after all the hard work done for the event.

A small number of very disappointed Woodland View residents weren't feeling well enough to attend this event so a few of the Mother's Union members have been invited to Woodland View hosted Strawberry Cream Tea so those who couldn't attend won't have completely miss out. 

Woodland View already have a range of future Mother's Union event dates in the diary for the rest of the year.

17 residents at Woodland View Care Home gathered together to welcome back the hugely popular singer Tania Honey.

Tania, who used to sing on some of the biggest cruise ships, now concentrates on care homes in the Colchester area. Tania beautifully sang one popular tune after another with residents joining in for just about every note.

Special effects for the day were controlled by resident, Liz Van Krinks, who loved being in charge of the bubble machine. The hundreds of bubbles added to the fun afternoon with many residents reaching up to catch them if they could, which created even more smiles and laughter.

This was just about as good as it gets, with everyone saying what a wonderful afternoon they'd all had. Tania returns to Woodland View on Thursday 3rd August and will also feature as part of the Woodland View Summer Fete on Saturday 2nd September.

Juliet Driver, General Manager at Woodland View, was going about her business as usual, when residents called her over to join them in the regular Thursday morning ‘Dancing Chairs’ session for a sing along and a bit of a dance. The music stopped and the fifteen residents, led by Ann Harvey, sang ‘Happy Birthday’. Juliet was clearly really pleased and thanked everyone. Cakes were then distributed around the home to mark the occasion in the traditional way.

There was a rumour that a specialist was due in to carbon date Juliet, as it was believed that she is actually far older than she has been telling people.

Watch this space... We’ll let you know the results if we can figure it out.