Our stories

Peace of mind

Moving into a care home made easy

Our care team are here to make sure that making the move is as easy as possible for you and your loved one. If you still need reassurance, here are some stories from our residents, their families and our care team.

Nora celebrated her 106th Birthday, where she was presented a signed birthday letter from the entire Manchester United football Club, by Jane Clinch Home Manager for Gateford Hill Care Home, Jan Hemsworth, Deputy Home Manager and Lindsay Tanner, Hospitality Manager.

Nora's 106th Birthday

In preparation for the Easter celebrations, we have been busy in Arts and Craft creating some wonderful Easter Bonnets. The Easter bonnets will be displayed in reception and then returned to the residents on Easter Sunday when the Easter Bunnies will be delivering ch

Easter is coming...

Being creative is so good for your brain and overall wellness, Kents Hill has a varied Art Club at the home that is well attend. This week the group were making their very own personalised canvas bags, there were some beautiful designs by the end of the class.

We have really embraced the sunshine this week and had everyone out for cocktail making whilst soaking up the rays! It was lovely to get out and feel the warmth and enjoy a gin or two!

Cocktail Making

St Patricks day was enjoyed by our Irish couple as they had a lovely meal shared together with their family.

St Patrick's Day Meal

Bowerfield House had a great day on Tuesday, the sun was shining and it was lovely to get out in the garden. We had our sports day which included welly throwing, egg and spoon race, bean bag target throwing and hoop throwing on cones, we had so much fun!

For the second consecutive year, Allingham House joined to the celebrations of Red Nose Day, organising a Fundraising Coffee Morning. Residents, staff and families joined together on this very special event.

Last week we prepared our home ready for Mothering Sunday

Mother's Day Preparation

Last week we gathered at our artist’s table to put our brushes to paper and design our own hats, in a nod to Wear a Hat day in support of Brain Tumour Research.

Hats for Brain Tumour Research 👒👒👒

We had a smashing time drumming up support for Comic Relief: by taking part in Red Nose Day!

🔴 RED NOSE DAY 🔴

We all know that movement is so good for us and the lifestyle co-ordinators at Buckingham House love to get as many people as they can moving with some arm chair exercises. Making movement fun is something the team do well.

At Knights Court we like to encourage physical as well as mental wellbeing and regularly engage the people living with us in light chair based exercise.

The benefits are immense:

* Increased flexibility and strengthening of muscles

* Helps increase circulation

Nothing quite says Happy St Patricks Day then enjoying a lovely Guinness or Baileys which the people living at Buckingham House got to do on the 17th. The home was decorated with some lovely people from the home helping us get in the spirit.

Happy St Patricks Day

At Alexandra Court we had early preparations ready for Mother's Day

Mother's Day Preparations

Today we had a visit from Chloe's Mobile Farm. Chloe brought along some ponies, donkeys, rabbits, guinea pigs, ducks and her dog Nelly.

Chloe's Mobile Farm visits Brunel

Howgate, couldn't resist a bit of seaside fun !

We brought some bedding plants to put in our lovely garden for our gardening club, the residents really loved putting them in the ground and watering them. After the gardening they enjoyed a cold drink to soak the sun up .

We chose to celebrate St Patricks Day in style with Irish music and

a green layered shamrock cake washed down with one of life's most pleasurable indulgences - Baileys Irish Cream, served as part of an Irish coffee.

St Patrick’s Day

We all had a little fun on Friday 18th March to celebrate Red Nose Day as some of the people living with us and staff members wore their red noses and bobbers to support the event.

Here's some images from the day.

Just two days after the spring equinox, we were joined by Alison from Abingdon Flower Club who led a cheerful and bright flower arranging class - delivering lush foliage including forsythia and hellebore roses, filling the room with the scent of rosemary, all finished off with the blooming joy of

Spring Has Sprung

We took full advantage of the sunshine this afternoon, with several of the people living with us enjoying a lovely cuppa out in the garden

Spring Sunshine

The residents enjoyed getting outside in the wonderful sunshine and fresh air today, chatting with friends and a great opportunity for exercise.

Rise and Shine Garden Walks

Last week our residents have been busy enjoying morning exercises where we all gathered for full body exercises, leg and arm stretches and crazy Pom Pom exercises and music therapy.

A Week At Water Royd

Yesterday we moved the party out side to enjoy the early spring sun. A great time was had all by all. This as been Alan’s first time back with us since the 1st covid lock down 2 years ago. It was great to see him back.

Performance In The Garden

Mary Chapman are runners up in the regional Chip Butty competition. A massive well done to the team at Mary Chapman who certainly went the extra mile to produce an outstanding Chip Butty for their region, a true team effort with a massive well done to Chef for presentation and deliciousness.

Chip Butty Competition

Gateford Hill are runners up in the regional Chip Butty competition. A massive well done to the team at Gateford Hill who certainly went the extra mile to produce an outstanding Chip Butty for their region, a true team effort with a massive well done to Chef for presentation and deliciousness.

Chip Butty Competition

We were all fortunate enough to be able to celebrate the 100th Birthday of a fine gentleman who lives with us here at Abingdon Court. What a milestone - he was able to be joined by family and friends to receive cards and gifts; including a 100th birthday message from Her Majesty The Queen.

Turning 100 - reflecting on the century

Joined by the wonderful

A massive well done to the team at Water Royd House who certainly went the extra mile to produce the winning Chip Butty for their region looking into the history of the chip butty.

Chip Butty Competition

We had a lovely day on St. Patrick's Day. We enjoyed Irish Pork Stew followed with apple crumble. We then had an afternoon full of games and exercises.

St Patrick's Day

Mabel really enjoyed having a pamper and a hand massage finished nicely with lovely painted nails.

Pamper at Alexandra Court

Our residents really enjoyed the opportunity to help out a student of Journalism this week. She came to interview staff and residents at The Hawthorns to find out about their experiences in a care home through the pandemic.

On the 17th we celebrated St. Patricks Day, we had a special Irish lunch celebrations with Irish Stew and some Guinness beer.

It's was lovely to open our doors to our Irish residents relatives.

St Patricks' Day at Manorhey

Troutbeck enjoyed a selection of delicious fruits as part of our awareness week detailing the importance of Nutrition and Hydration.

Nutrition and Hydration

Here we are Celebrating St Patricks Day at Troutbeck. Social activities are a great way to keep everyone emotionally stimulated, sparking memories that gives us all a great boost.

St Patricks Day at Troutbeck

Our residents really enjoyed their afternoon playing draughts, they got the giggles and thought it was a great afternoon. Some of our residents also had a lovely walk.

Afternoons at Alexandra Court

Spring time is coming and we have started to create our potted plants to go into the planters in the gardens at Belmont House. It’s not quite the weather as yet to go outside as its still a little cold so we potted them indoors and our activities team will transport them outside for us when

Potting Plants Ready For Spring

National Reflections Day is 23rd March this year and charities like Marie Curie are among many who will be supporting the millions of people who are grieving, and remembering the family, friends, neighbours and colleagues lost to the virus over the last two years.

Belmont Reflections Wheel

We had a fabulous day celebrating St Patrick’s Day at the home last week. Our Chef, Joe, made us some special cup cakes with green icing. We listened to Irish songs and made cards and decorations in arts and crafts that week.

St Patrick's Day at Belmont

Spring is in the air here at Ashfield Court and those who live here with us decided to make some flowers to celebrate the upcoming season.

Spring at Ashfield Court

Happy St Patricks Day from Ashfield Court!☘️

Residents enjoyed performing the Irish Jig at Ashmead on 17th March 2022 in order to celebrate St Patrick’s Day. Residents helped prepare for the event by making their Irish hats and banners. Light refreshments, music and pleasant company all contributed to a most pleasant afternoon.

Happy St Patricks Day from Ashmead

Cedar Court joined in the worldwide St Patricks Day celebrations today. We started our day with arm travel to see the splendours of Ireland. All dining rooms were decorated in the theme and John together with the kitchen team prepared a wonderful Irish Stew wit

Celebrating St Patricks Day in style

Bowerfield House had a fantastic day celebrating St Patricks Day. We started our day with a gentle Irish sit down exercise class then enjoyed a lovely lunch, our chef made Irish Stew with dumplings.

St Patrick's Day

As one of our residents was leaving us at Acorn House we decided to throw her a party.

On Thursday 10th March we held a 1950s rock and roll party here at Brunel House.

Our hair stylist come in and created some amazing 1950s styles for our residents, which they absolutely loved.

Rock and Roll at Brunel

For the Easter Extravaganza regional competitions first week, Birch Heath Lodge decided to make a Giant Mars bar nest. Inside the nest is chocolate and caramel moulds. Everyone is eggcited to crack open the nest and have a taste.

Easter Cake Competition

New garden furniture arrived at Hope Green this week and residents were super excited to watch John our maintenance man assemble it. An orderly queue was forming for everyone to sit on it and try it out whilst John was hard at work! It was great to see so many smiles and much appreciation.

Garden Furniture

lá Fhéile Pádraig sona in Irish or Happy St. Patrick's Day in English !!

St. Patricks Day

Yesterday we celebrated St Patricks Day .

St Patricks Day at Water Royd