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.

One of fantastic residents Alan has been leading seated, gentle movement and stretch groups for our lovely residents at The Wharf. Lilly, one of our carers has been integral in getting everyone together, in place comfortably and ready to start. It was truly amazing to

The Wharf Care Home

It was decided that at our next Craft Club, we would make memory boxes! We purchased some boxes online and then the residents began to decorate the outside of them. We added on some photos of the residents to the front of the boxes.

Craft Club at Oaklands

One of our residents was keen to have a go at playing category snap. There are four categories and you need to match them to win. There are several other games you can use these cards for, for example name the pictures.

Card Games at Clumber

One of our lady's enjoys using felt tips to colour pictures so we sat and did some colouring, she carefully studies her picture before starting and then creates beautiful artwork.

Colouring at Clumber

Congratulation to our very own Kumar, who was been Awarded Administrator of the Year at this years Maria Mallaband & Countrywide Care Awards 2020

Congratulations Kumar - Administrator of the Year 2020 !

“Ahoy, me hearties!” was the sound heard across Ashmead Care Centre as we celebrated our very first Pirates Day.

Pirate Day at Ashmead

Here at Willowdene Care Home we were delighted we had been nominated for Care Home of the Year, Aleksandra Rymut in the kitchen was nominated by you all for Master Chef, Ruth Pearson for Housekeeping Highflyer and

Care Awards at Willowdene

Nestled in a sleepy, yet oh so beautiful village in the Cheshire countryside, is Birch Heath Lodge, Christleton. We don’t let a pandemic stop us having fun so, every few weeks, we have an afternoon party.

Birch Heath Lodge Afternoon Tea Parties

Residents and staff were celebrating after Joanne Ball, Care Assistant at Alexandra Court Care Home was named Carer of the Year 2020 at the recent Maria Mallaband Care Group and Countrywide Care Homes Annual Care Awards.

Winner at Alexandra Court

During the pandemic, at Alexandra Court, we have had a 100th birthday celebration where Margaret received her birthday card from the Queen. The staff held a small socially distanced gathering to celebrate.

100th Birthday at Alexandra Court

Gladys celebrated her 100th birthday with us at Manorhey. The staff decorated her room with balloons, all in matching colours and we had a cake made and for her which was shared out with all residents, at the afternoon tea we held on the floor Gladys lives.

100th Birthday Celebrations at Manorhey

Alexandra Court have made the most of the beautiful weather, of late and held numerous concerts outside. The residents have thoroughly enjoyed the events, whilst sipping on cold drinks in the fresh air.

Alexandra Court Outdoor Concerts

On Wednesday 12 August, Amber Court had an Hawaiian Theme Day. Residents and staff dressed in grass skirts, leis and bright colours. Hawaiian music was playing and everyone enjoyed an Hawaiian style buffet. Marianne, Activities Coordinator taught staff how to dance to the Huki L

Amber Court's Hawaiian Theme Day

Residents and staff at Parksprings Care Home have created over 100 'High Tea' gift boxes, filled with goodies for our local heroes.

Parksprings High Tea Boxes

Abbey View's Maintenance man has created a wonderful outside visitors room. It is very simple but it is a lovely area for visitors to meet, in the good weather. They just have to add some flower pots and a book where people can right some messages.

Abbey View Outside Visiting Space

Margaret Brown celebrated her 100th Birthday on Sunday 23rd August, at Thorntree Mews. Not quite the birthday the family had planned, but Margaret started the day with breakfast in her room, then began the pampering session.

100th Birthday Celebrations at Thorntree Mews

We were excited to welcome our first visitors back to Abingdon Court on 6th July.

Abingdon Court welcomes back visitors

Residents and staff were celebrating after Buckingham House Care Home was named Care Home of the Year 2020 at the recent Maria Mallaband Care Group and Countrywide Care Homes Annual Care Awards.

Buckingham House wins "Home of the Year"

Residents and staff of Windmill Court Care Home were celebrating after their colleague Jemma Hartley won the award for the “Most Innovative Activities Programme” at the recent Maria Mallaband Care Group and Countrywide Care Homes Annual Care Awards. It was a double c

Windmill Court are winners at Care Awards

Ashmead Care Home paid its very own special tribute to Dame Vera Lynn who sadly passed away at the age of 103 recently.

Dame Vera Lynn Remembered

Board Games afternoon

We love creating our own gifts here at Belmont Care Home and thought it would be a lovely idea to make bracelets for birthday gifts in Park Suite. We had a few different boxes with beads, glass balls and colourful stones and started to create our own desi

Kents Hill Care Home welcomed ambulance crew staff, post office workers, district nurses and physiotherapists for there 'Take a break with us' week. They received many thanks, gratitude and comments of bringing together the local MDT's in the recent hot weather; the cake and drinks wen

Take a break with us

We had some fun in the activities lounge with the parachute. There was lots of laughing coming from the room. Everyone held a colour in a circle and then we popped a ball in the middle and flicked up the parachute to see which colour the ball landed on when the parachute came back

Parachute Fun at Astor Court

We were so grateful to receive a wonderful donation of afternoon tea from Lakes & Dales Co-operative.

A huge donation, of everything anyone could need for a wonderful afternoon celebration. Sandwiches, scones, cakes, and non-alcoholic fizz to make it a wonderful celebration.

Afternoon Tea at Astor Court

We wanted to decorate our activities lounge and when we found some old vinyl records which were really scratched and not fit for playing anymore so we decided to get a little bit creative.

New Decorations in our Activities Room

We have enjoyed looking at different activities in August and have done some local reminiscence. We started with research on the history of the local area and used this as a talking point which gets everyone sharing their own stories and opinions.

Memories of Sunderland

We had a visit from Michaela from Musical Memories, dressed in her flares and jazzy top in August who entertained us from outside the home. We all sat next to windows around the home and outside patio's enjoying the songs of Abba which Michaela had prepared for this week for

Our Dancing Queen comes to Barnes Court

Here at Barnes Court one of our favourite activities is home baking. So far in August we have made sweet and savoury dishes but our favourite so far has been our cheese pasties. There was not a single pasty left uneaten.

Baking Delights at Barnes Court

We had a presentation at Howgate House on Wednesday 5th August. Eve, who is one of our oldest ladies gave out the Oscars to all the joiners and maintenance men for keeping us all safe during lockdown.

Awards Presentation at Howgate House

Howgate House is supporting the local primary school breakfast club by collecting food and drinks for the children. They have supported the home through the last few difficult months by sending pen pal letters and drawing pictures of rainbows and sunshine for every residents' room.

Supporting the Local Primary School Breakfast Club

As part of our Yorkshire day celebrations our residents at Howgate House enjoyed choosing their favourite Yorkshire sweets from the trolley.

Yorkshire Day Treats

We had a lovely addition to the Ashfield Court family when Cosmina had her baby girl on 7th August 2020 at 22.16 weighing in at a healthy 7lb 4oz.

Both mummy and baby are doing well and we can't wait to meet you soon. From all at Ashfield Court welcome to the family.

Congratulations Cosmina

The sun is out in Catterick and we thought we would go to the beach, or rather our fabulous activities lady Elaine, thought we could create our own beach in the home. We all had a fabulous day with our fake sand, face props. beach ball, candy floss and ice cream.

Castles in the sand

On 6th August 2020 Rose Lodge Care Home in Newton Aycliffe celebrated the nomination of Diane Tweddle, Innovation Activities Programme in the 6th annual MMCG and Countrywide Care Awards.

Awards Celebrations at Rose Lodge

We have received lots of lovely gifts from family and friends of the home in July which included a lovely framed Care Giver verse and a rainbow picture with the verse 'when the world stayed apart we stayed together'.

Thank you, we appreciate all of your love and support at Rose Lodge.

Rainbow Picture

We had some fun in the activities lounge with the parachute. There was lots of laughing coming from the room. Everyone held a colour in a circle and then we popped a ball in the middle and flicked up the parachute to see which colour the ball landed on when the parachute came back

We were so grateful to receive a wonderful donation of afternoon tea from Lakes & Dales Co-operative.

A huge donation, of everything anyone could need for a wonderful afternoon celebration. Sandwiches, scones, cakes, and non-alcoholic fizz to make it a wonderful celebration.

Afternoon Tea at Astor

Meet Maya our Chef at Rosedale Nursing and Care Home. She loves baking cakes for our residents and seeing the delight on their faces when she presents the afternoon snacks.

Home Baking at Rosedale

We celebrated National Ice Cream Day at the home on 23rd July and we certainly picked a lovely day for it as the sun was shining outside and we enjoyed our afternoon ice cream treat.

National Ice Cream Day

We celebrated National Cheesecake Day on 30th July at Rosedale and we thought it would be amazing to have cheesecake for our tea break in the afternoon.

Maya our head chef made a raspberry cheesecake which was simply divine.

National Cheesecake Day

Happy 59th Wedding Anniversary to Jean and Eddie. Jean was delighted to see Eddie when he came into the home to celebrate their anniversary in July. They had a lovely time together and some tea and cakes to celebrate.

Happy 59th Wedding Anniversary

Friday is always Fish Friday at Field View and we look forward to our delicious lunch of fish and chips with mushy peas.

The food looks absolutely delicious all made at the home but looks like a treat from the fish shop.

Our very own handy Andy braved the shave to raise money for the RVI Leukaemia ward. Field View raised £200.Thank you Andy for being so gracious and allowing us to raise money for this worthy cause.

Brave the Shave

The week of the MMCG and Countrywide Care awards has arrived and here at Willowdene Care Home in Sedgefield we have much to celebrate with 4 nominations for categories.

Care Awards 2020

Here at Willowdene we are loving this gorgeous sunny weather we are having and our relative garden visits at the home. Our residents really enjoy seeing family and we are so fortunate to have such wonderful gardens.

Visits in the garden

We were delighted to have a visit from two horses this week at Willowdene who came in to meet our residents at the home. Our residents used to love the miniature ponies visits so we thought we'd have the horse's come to visit. The residents came out one at a time to see the horses and

Horse Visits at Willowdene

The residents have thoroughly enjoyed the travelling theatre. We were able sit in our new outside area and enjoy the show following social distancing rules.The residents laughed out loud during the show.

Travelling Theatre

Skell Lodge residents took part in St Wilford's Parade. This event has been running since 1108 when King Henry granted permission to the city to hold a fair to mark the birth of the saint on 30th July. Ripon has held this tradition ever since.

St Wilford's Parade

We have been so pleased to welcome back the families to the home for outside visiting and have our own gazebo in our lovely garden at the back of the home.

We are hoping for lovely weather in August to welcome you back to the home.

Visiting at Earsdon Grange