We are still receiving gifts from family and friends. Our most recent was this lovely chocolate basket and card addressed to our marvellous staff for keeping everyone safe.

We love home baking at the home and one of our activities this month was to make our own Pizza’s and cakes. We made margarita,, chicken with peppers and cheese and even made our own delicious sponge cake which was delicious.

In the past we have been blessed with regular visits by children from a local nursery but unfortunately we haven't been able to see them for the last few months and we have missed their visits.

Out of the blue we received these fantastic place mats.  They wanted us to know that they were still thinking about us and are looking forward to seeing us all soon.

We might be living through very different times at the moment at Garden Hill with regards to visitors in the home but we are still continuing to do a lot of activities we have always done.  Every week with our activities coordinator at the home, Stacey, we have been doing our chair exercises which we enjoy and we have such a good laugh.  It also keeps us mobile and in good spirits as these are activities we do enjoy every week.

Heeley Bank Manager, Lynne Cannell and her team launched the 999 afternoon tea break week on Monday 3rd August with a celebration of Yorkshire pudding and onion gravy.

Lynne said "I'm delighted to be able to support local 999 front line workers in these difficult times and provide a light hearted refreshment service throughout this week in the car park."

Nora Batty lookalike visits Howgate House on Yorkshire Day and served a lovely Yorkshire lunch of sausages,mash and beans followed by apple pie and custard.

Everyone also enjoyed lots of Yorkshire based treats. 

To celebrate world chocolate day a chocolate making station was set up at The Belvedere. The residents got to choose the flavours and decorations they wanted to create their own chocolate bites.

They thoroughly enjoyed making them but enjoyed eating them along with a cup of tea much more!

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.  

This was a great activity, a bit messy but lots of fun was had by all, and the path outside got a great clean once we were done. 

We are so happy with the end result of this, and our residents love this and comment on the colours. 

Rose Lodge Care Home on Careers Way, Cobblers Lane in Newton Aycliffe were delighted when Activities Coordinator Diane Tweddle was nominated for Most Innovative Activities Programme of the year for the North East Region in the Maria Mallaband and Countrywide Care Awards.

Our Around the World party was a great success. Everyone was dressed their best and enjoyed our live social distancing entertainment by one of our regular singers Deborah. We had a buffet at dinner, a best dressed competition and a photo booth. Pictured is Jed representing Australia as Crocodile Dundee and Joyce representing the UK as the Queen.