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.

Residents and staff have been busy creating some Halloween decorations for the home. The residents really enjoyed getting involved and creating different faces, there was lots of laughter. They have now been hung up around the home along with our other spooky decorations.

Halloween Decorating

At Allingham House we held a Roaring 1920’s party. We had a photoshoot where the residents could pose for a picture.

1920's Party at Allingham House

Here at Allingham House we have had a very busy week. The residents were baking on Thursday and they really enjoyed it.

Baking at Allingham House

At Allingham House they have a nursery next door, Bright Horizons. The children from the nursery have responded to the cards that the residents sent to them telling them how much they miss their visits.

Allingham House Letters

Residents and staff at Manorhey, designed and made our very own ice cream van, which was then filled with a variety of different flavours cones and toppings.

Ice Cream Van at Manorhey

We celebrated Lisa’s 101st birthday at Amber Court with a party and entertainment. The staff decorated Lisa’s

101st Birthday at Amber Court

At Amber Court we recently celebrated Christopher’s 29th birthday and combined it with our very own Blackpool Illuminations Switch-on party. Lunch was themed as Christopher’s favourite food - McDonalds and one of our chef’s made a McDonalds themed birthday cake.

Christopher’s Birthday and Illumination Switch On

At Wyndham Hall we want to encourage people to be safe so we used a bit of humour and paid tribute to the late great Freddie Mecury.

Safety Advice from Freddie

Staff and residents at Parkview House took part in the Alzheimer’s Society Memory Walk to raise money for the chairty.

Parkview House supports the Alzheimer's Society

We have had an afternoon of pumpkin painting, using a variety of different mediums. The residents found the pumpkins very interesting and didn't stop at just one because they enjoyed so much. We also sang along to the music as we created beautiful art work.

Pumpkins at Clumber Court

On escorting to the salon our residents are made to feel comfortable whilst having there hair done and listening to relaxing music. Each residents is given the opportunity to choose how they would like there styled.

Salon open at Clumber Court

Even though it wasnt the same without any visitors, we had a great coffee morning.

Preparation all done for this week meeting of the Woodland Warblers, our resident armchair singing group

Residents worked hard to create more weight options for our chair based exercise sessions, nope you an never ever have too much glitter

Creative Weights

Healthy competition, as our residents enjoy a game of hoops and cones, strengthening eye to hand co-ordination, and an eagerness to win!

Indoor Games Afternoon

Residents are busy here at Croft House doing Halloween crafts and making decorations with lots more spooky fun planned throughout this next month, we can't wait!

Halloween Preparations at Croft House

Residents enjoyed our Macmillan Coffee morning and party games at our animal themed party. Some of our residents took turns at pin the chicken on the farm. Lots of laughter

Macmillan Coffee Morning at Bowerfield House

We hosted a Macmillan coffee morning this week at The Belvedere Care Home. The residents and staff both enjoyed getting involved and raising money for a great charity.

Macmillan Coffee Morning

In September residents at Willow Bank were treated to an outdoor performance by Sam and Natalie from the arts Together for Care Homes project. We were fortunate to have excellent weather and the residents enjoyed sitting out in the sun and listening to the performance.

Live Entertainment at Willow Bank

The weather tried to ruin the plans for the Brunel House Carnival & Circus but undeterred we just moved inside and had the most amazing day.

Carnvial & Circus

Even though we are not able to get out and about as much as we used to for the moment, we are still taking the opportunity for fresh air when we can.

Westbury White Horse

At a recent resident's meeting, a number of residents suggested trying "Foods from Around the World".

Foods from Around the World

Now the dark nights and autumn days are coming in we've started enjoying board games a lot more at the home. Monopoly and Bingo are two of the firm favourites in September but we have also enjoyed lots of home baking, an entertainer outside of the home as well as reminiscing abo

Old favourite's comes to Barnes Court

September was a month we did a lot of home baking, the weather has started to change a little making getting out into our private grounds a little more difficult so instead we made butterfly cakes, buns and bread sticks over the course of the month which we thoroughly enjoyed.

Home Baking at Rosedale

We were delighted to receive a visit from Banana Moon nursery in September. One of the staff from the nursery came to Rosedale with some gift and cards whcih the mini moonies and nursery children had made for us. They went down a storm when we brought them into the h

Banana Moon visits Rosedale

River View Care Home in Tilehurst recently hosted a "Come Dine with Me" themed day to celebrate equality and diversity. The special world tasting menu included dishes from Mexico, the Caribbean, Poland and Lebanon cooked by our in-house Head Chef Antonio Carvalho.

Come Dine with Me

We've been stretching, toe tapping, swaying and singing along to some energy boosting beats!.

The Wharf Care Home

On World Gratitude Day we spent the day talking about things that matter the most to the people living with us at The Belvedere and what we are most thankful for.

World Gratitude Day

It was Macmillan Coffee morning at Croft House today, due to COVID-19 we unfortunately couldn't have families to join us but the staff and residents loved the cakes, buns, cookies and scones we had. They went so quickly!!

MacMillan Coffee Morning

It’s not only TV chefs who can set up their kitchens anytime any place. With our new mobile kitchen equipment people living at Minster Grange can now cook or bake anytime any place too.

Cooking Up Cookies

Kents Hill Care Home are very excited to announce the reopening of their Dementia Suite 'Forget me Not'. Lots of hard work, determination from the staff team and brainstorming of new ideas has brought the suite to life with a garden area, beach theme and London wall murals.

Reopening of Forget me Not

Willowdene Care Home on Lizards Lane, Sedgefield are delighted to announce we completed the memory walk for Alzheimers Society on Saturday 19th September. We walked from Durham to West Auckland which is approximately 14 miles and took 4 hours 15 mins and we raised £1000.

Willowdene Memory Walk

Maria Mallaband and Countrywide – keeping our residents safe and connected during Covid-19.

Maria Mallaband and Countrywide Coronavirus Update

Thanks to the kindness of The York Bird of Prey Centre, our residents were treated to a garden visit by two of their stars.

Birds at Minster Grange

Celebrating all things French this week at Heeley Bank Care Home with a wine and cheese tasting event to start the week off, which was enjoyed by all.

French Week at Heeley Bank

During art class one of our ladies wanted to paint a picture of her granddaughter's favourite flowers so she could frame it and give it to her for her engagement present. We went to the garden to pick some of the flowers so she could use them to inspire her painting.

Flower Gifts for Family

After a nail-biting week of dreadful downpours, the rain stopped and the sun peeped out just in time for our Summer Garden Party on Sunday 30th August. We all enjoyed a wonderful afternoon of live entertainment, hand jiving, garden games, bubbly, jam and cream scones and a

Minster Grange enjoy the sun

This year, White Rose Lodge brought the Care Awards to the home. It was a day of celebrations.

Care Awards at White Rose Lodge

This month the notion was to ‘play’. No matter the age ‘to play’ is vital to unlocking our creative selves and our subconscious. Taking this into consideration the residents were gathered together around a large table, with a large sheet of paper for all to share.

Play At White Rose Lodge

The residents at Willow Bank recently enjoyed a Caribbean and Indian Food Carnival. In preparation for the Carnival the residents made decorations and masks to wear.

Carnival at Willow Bank

Our green fingered residents had fun planting herbs, cauliflowers and spring onions in one box and pumpkin seeds in the other.

Garden at Croft House

Acorn House have recently been asked to join a group called elderly friends.

Pen Pals Near & Far at Acorn House

When Anne separated from her husband 13 years ago, she never thought she’d find love again, that was until she moved into Willowdene Care Home in July 2019 and met Gerry. Anne who is due to turn 78 at the end of September met Gerry, 82, when she moved into the home and the pair

Love is in the air at Willowdene Care Home.

We did a repeat of an activity for the first time this week, but they looked so beautiful the first time around I thought we needed some more!

Art at Belvoir Vale

Water Royd Care Home was decorated in flags and bunting to create a street party feel when everyone in the home gathered together to celebrate 70 years since the end of the Second World War in Europe.

VE Day Celebrations

Birthday celebrations were in full swing at River View Care Home recently when Eileen Atwell celebrated her 100th birthday.

Eileen Celebrates 100th Birthday

Our lovely sensory room on EMI is massively popular with our residents (pictures don't do it justice!) They love to sit and watch the lights while listening to soothing, relaxing music, sometimes even falling asleep!

Sensory room at Croft House

At Brunel House we have spent time personalising some of the items we use daily such as tray tables and zimmer frames. Our residents have chatted about their interests and then used this inspiration to personalise or "pimp their zimmer frames".

Some of our residents are very creative and during a craft session we decided to personalise tray tables with positive images that bring happiness.

Personalising Tables at Brunel House

Here at Croft House we had a bit of a pamper day on nursing yesterday, most just wanted them filing but this one lovely lady wanted the full works! She chose this lovely pink and was over the moon with how pretty she felt and commented on what a lovely feeling it gave her.

Pamper Day at Croft House