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Wartime memories as residents join community parade

Our residents joined their community’s Remembrance parade to honour the service and sacrifice of those who have died in conflict
Pamela and Trevor Clark and David Vincent represented our home at the event in West Moors.

David, who served in the Navy as an engineer, said he was thrilled to be invited to attend the parade down to the Petwyn war memorial.
David said: “It’s very important to me to remember those who have lost their lives in battle.

“It was wonderful to see so many people of all ages also showing their support.”
An old military jeep that featured in the commemoration reminded Trevor of his time as a young child growing up in the village of Warboys near Huntingdon.

[caption id="attachment_5129" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Brook View residents Trevor Clark, left, and David Vincent in West Moors for the Remembrance parade[/caption]

Trevor said: “I remember when I about five years old and the Americans from the nearby base would give us children from the village rides in their jeeps around the fields.

“They also would offer lifts to anybody who needed it so that they could stay in favour with the villagers.”

Tunde Zsiko, our Customer Advisor, who accompanied the residents at the commemoration, said: “While this was a sombre occasion, it was lovely to see our residents reminiscing.”

Spooktacular fun as we host Halloween party for children

Residents and staff brewed up a wicked Halloween treat to welcome a party of visiting children
The spooky goings-on featured ghostly games, dressing up and scary-looking cupcakes.

The youngsters, all children of team members at the home and aged up to ten years old, had great fun meeting residents including Trevor Clark, who appeared in costume as a ‘voodoo doctor’.

And in games devised by our Companionship Team Member Jo Vardy, they played along in mixed teams with residents.

The most popular proved to be ‘Pass the Eyeball’ and ‘Eyeball Pong’, in which competitors had to bounce ping pong balls along a table and into the eye sockets of fake skulls.

In the midst of all the fun, Chef Isabella Corbo brought out some homemade cupcakes adorned with delights such as ‘Jelly Eyeballs’ and ‘Brains’.

[caption id="attachment_5122" align="alignnone" width="1024"] The young visitors at Brook View care home in West Moors with, standing rear from left, Companionship Team member Rebecca Grimsey, Chef Isabella Corbo with cupcakes, and Companionship Team member Jo Vardy.[/caption]

Jo said: “Everybody loved it and had a fantastic time. The interaction between the residents and the children was brilliant. The children were amazed at our decorations, spooky lights and Harry Potter-style handmade floating candles, all 40 of them, which we had in our cauldron. Each child left with a Halloween bauble filled with sweets and a big smile.”

Trevor said: “I had a lot of fun getting into the voodoo doctor’s costume,” while fellow resident Pam Roberts said: “It was lovely to see the children.”

Earlier on Halloween, Brook View residents enjoyed meeting an assortment of animals including a snake and an owl brought along on a visit by Creature Teachers.

Jo added: “Our lounge was full to the brim with residents keen to be involved. I was impressed that so many of them were brave enough to hold the snake.”

Life’s a beach as residents recreate the seaside

Residents showed how much they love to be beside the seaside – without leaving the comfort of their lounge
While there are regular summer trips from our home to nearby coastal beauty spots, there are some residents who do not tend to go for different reasons.

So our team members decided to ‘bring the seaside to the home’, transforming the lounge into a fun beachscape complete with sand, buckets and spaces, ‘rockpools’, ice cream and even a candy floss machine.

Residents made balloons in the shape of sea creatures such as octopuses and there were competitions involving rockpool fishing and building sandcastles.
Our Companionship Team Leader Sarah Moule said: “We thought it would be a great idea to host a beach-themed day here at the home as not everyone can always get out to the seaside.
“Also, we did it in response to a request from one of the regulars on our minibus trips, Daphne Simpson.

[caption id="attachment_5105" align="alignnone" width="683"] Resident Daphne Simpson, enjoying her time at the seaside in an event that was laid on particularly for her. [/caption]

“When we go to the coast, Daphne always wants to get her feet wet. It’s the same with the New Forest, she will want to find a pool to go paddling in.

“Seaside holidays tend to give us some of our happiest memories – and the same goes for our residents including Daphne.
“Most of them spent time enjoying beaches and coastal trips in their youth and so having the seaside brought to Brook View was a lovely experience for them. It generated a lot of discussions about holidays in years gone by.”
Daphne said: “I really enjoyed the day, especially when we were making sandcastles. It was just like a good old-fashioned day at the seaside, full of fun and games.”

Colten Care homes open gardens for charity

Two of our beautiful care home gardens are opening to the public as part of the National Garden Scheme (NGS), raising money for nursing and health charities
Our gardens at Brook View, and Woodpeckers in Brockenhurst, Hampshire, will welcome visitors on the weekends of the 20th and 21st of August and the 3rd and 4th of September respectively.

In preparation, residents at both homes have been busy contributing to gentle gardening activities under the guidance of Colten Care team members including care companions and gardeners.

Colten Care’s Head Gardener Charles Hubberstey said: “Our residents, staff and volunteers take great pride in their gardens.
“Many of our residents have enjoyed gardening throughout their lives and we want them to continue to find pleasure in it for as long as they can.

“The beauty that visitors on the NGS days will see on display is a testament to the love of gardening cherished by our residents.
“We have active gardening clubs at both Brook View and Woodpeckers as well as our other 19 homes in the South.

“It’s our residents and gardeners who decide together on garden activities and priorities season by season.

“The Brook View garden features a fountain surrounded by mixed borders brightened with plants grown in the greenhouse.

“There is also a fruit and vegetable garden, much used by the kitchen.

“At Woodpeckers, residents have been involved in the planning of a wheelchair-friendly woodland walk amid wild flowers and bulbs.

[caption id="attachment_5110" align="alignnone" width="705"] Enjoying an NGS open day at Colten Care’s Brook View in West Moors, Dorset.[/caption]

“It leads to a beautiful oak gazebo and a courtyard garden under a pair of cream flowered cherry trees.”

Both Woodpeckers, which is officially rated Outstanding by the CQC, and Brook View also opened for NGS days last year.
Brook View resident Rosa Leicester said at the time: “Opening the gardens is a lovely idea. The more people who think and talk about our garden the better. It is lovely for people to see how we live here. This is my home and I am very proud of both my home and my garden.”
The NGS gives visitors access to more than 3,500 private gardens in the UK, raising funds for nursing and health charities through admissions and the sales of afternoon teas.

Teas and homemade cakes and scones will be on offer to visitors at both Brook View and Woodpeckers, payable by donation.

For more information on both homes’ NGS weekends, including opening times and entry fees, visit www.ngs.org.uk.

Our care homes mark Remembrance with poppy making and wreath laying

Residents of our care homes have been playing their part in Remembrance season
From knitting poppies to attending community events, Colten Care residents – many of whom served in the armed forces or otherwise have wartime memories – have taken time to reflect on the poignant themes of sacrifice and service.

Here at Brook View, team members accompanied residents Ken Vivian and Jack Morey to the Dorset village’s official community commemoration on Remembrance Sunday.

Watched in respectful silence by dozens of onlookers from various community groups who gathered for the event, Ken, 95, laid a wreath as a traditional symbol of remembrance for the fallen.
Ken said: “I felt very proud and honoured to be representing Brook View by laying the wreath on the memorial.”
It was also a moment for Jack to reflect. He was a Private in the army during the Second World War and took part in the Normandy landings on D-Day in June 1944 before travelling through France to Nazi Germany as Allied forces sought to liberate Western Europe.

The pair were accompanied to Sunday’s service by our Companionship team member Jo Vardy and our administrator Tundé Zsiko.

Jo said: “It was a privilege to accompany Ken and Jack and together honour all those servicemen and women who lost their lives contributing to the cause of freedom.”

As well as attending community events, Colten Care residents have been involved in making displays of poppies.

Residents at Outstanding-rated Amberwood House in Ferndown spent eight weeks ‘crafting for Remembrance’.

Companionship Team leader Kirsty Richmond Cole said: “Our ladies started a knitting and crocheting club which quickly branched out to include the use of foam and felt to create a large quantity of poppies.

“It started with just our residents and before we knew it staff and families were involved too. Our final count was 150 poppies.
“We were able to create two displays, one inside our home and the other at our outside entrance sign for our community to see.”
In the New Forest, homes such as Outstanding-rated Kingfishers commemorated Remembrance Day with prayers, craft making, poetry readings and attendance at parades and church services.

After Kingfishers resident Terry Vass laid a wreath during a service in the lounge of the New Milton home, staff invited residents to share their wartime stories.

Rose Arcellana, Companionship Team leader, said: “Each story was touching and reminded us all of the rawness of war but also the beauty of humanity. Not all the stories were sad, we also heard uplifting ones of survival and kindness. Our service was an ideal way to commemorate all the brave soldiers who lost their lives.”

Simon’s return is music to the ears of Freda, 91  

Music-loving residents have welcomed the return of one of their favourite entertainers after two years of only seeing him online due to the pandemic
Christchurch-based pianist and vocalist Simon Woodley performed live here at Brook View and Kingfishers in New Milton, Hampshire, for the first time since spring 2020.

The in-person show was a particular treat for our resident Freda Sherwood, 91, who used to have the same piano teacher as Simon and is a long-standing fan of his playing.

Freda was a regular at Simon’s weekly Skype sessions during lockdown and was thrilled to see him back playing live in the residents’ lounge, even joining him at the keyboard for a brief duet.
“It was wonderful to see Simon again,” said a smiling Freda, who likes to practice classical pieces on the home’s two pianos to the delight of fellow residents and staff.
Our Companionship Team Leader Sarah Moule said: “If Freda is at a piano, she will smile and sing. It’s the same when she sees Simon play.

[caption id="attachment_5115" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Resident Freda Sherwood, 91, joins entertainer Simon Woodley for his first performance in more than two years. On the left is our Companionship Team Leader Sarah Moule.[/caption]

“When lockdown hit, Simon was one of the first entertainers across the Colten Care group to suggest doing Skype music sessions.

“Freda always looked forward to them each week but you can’t beat having music performed right there in front of you.
“It was a joy to see her face when Simon appeared in person once again, set up his keyboard and invited her to sit with him and play a few notes.”
Simon, who performed a selection of residents’ requests including jazz standards, songs from the shows and classical pieces, said: “Skype was all we could manage during lockdown so it was lovely to return.

“I’ve been playing at Colten Care for around ten years and I am chuffed to bits to be back again.”

Freda and Simon were both students of the late Bournemouth-based pianist and teacher Terry Shade.

Crafty residents do their bit for Dorset youth group

Creative residents ran their own craft stall at a church bazaar, raising funds to help young people
Seven of our lovely ladies who live  spent weeks preparing for the event at the village’s St Mary’s Church.

They knitted, felted and crocheted an array of seasonal gifts such as sock snowmen and penguins.

On the day,  resident Pamela Clark and young helper Meadow, the daughter of our Companionship Team member Rebecca Grimsey, ran the stall and chatted to the public.
Pamela said: “We explained to people that we were raising money for our chosen charity The West Moors Youth Group. It was lovely to integrate with the public while raising money for a local cause that we knew had suffered during the pandemic, as so many did.”
Jo Vardy, another of our Companionship Team, said: “Many visitors at the bazaar commented on how Christmassy, colourful and beautiful the stall looked.

[caption id="attachment_5078" align="alignnone" width="806"] Brook View resident Ellen with a sock penguin she made to sell in aid of The West Moors Youth Group.[/caption]

“The most popular item, the first to sell out, were our woollen robins, but all the gifts were lovingly made by the residents, albeit with a little help from the team.

“On our return home we set up a table in reception and displayed our remaining items which were snapped up before the display was even finished.

“Nurses Anneka McQuirk and Sarah Ingram purchased the last of our snowmen and penguins along with other items.

“Sarah laughed when we explained she now owned a ‘waddle’, the collective name for a group of penguins on dry land. A great day was had by all.”

While total funds raised remain to be counted, residents were pleased with their immediate tally of £70 on the day.

Vicar Andy Muckle said: “We thank all the residents at Brook View who participated in this year’s bazaar.”

A Valentine’s Day full of love, laughter and happy memories

Residents spent Valentine’s Day reminiscing over their wedding day
Here at Brook View, team members decorated the in-home café with red and pink balloon hearts and table-top roses, enabling resident couple Audrey and David Vincent to enjoy a romantic lunch. It gave them the opportunity to reminisce about their 51 years of marriage.

They met while attending ballroom dance classes together when David was 37 and Audrey 39.

“It was love at first dance,” said Audrey, a former teacher. “He was quite a dancer and he continues to lead the way, even if I do ‘wear the trousers’ sometimes!”

[caption id="attachment_5050" align="alignnone" width="768"] Brook View residents and married couple Audrey and David Vincent enjoy their romantic lunch on Valentine’s Day[/caption]

Among other Colten homes, Fernhill in Longham, Dorset, staged a Valentine’s Day ball complete with live music, buffet and fizz.

 

Dancers wow resident Joan with ballroom and Latin show

A dazzling afternoon of ballroom and Latin dance performances has brought back happy memories for a former dancer
Joan Whelan was even inspired to revisit a few moves herself under careful guidance from our staff.

The show by Bournemouth dance duo Just the Two of Us – otherwise known as Tanya Hutton and Graham Cooper – was organised specially for Joan after she expressed a heartfelt wish to see a live performance and possibly dance again.

Tanya and Graham describe themselves as ‘social dancers’ and have been performing seriously for around three years, giving them the confidence to dance in front of care home residents.

Here at Brook View, they split the afternoon into two sessions.

The first focused on ballroom and featured demonstrations of waltz, quickstep, foxtrot and tango while the second was devoted to the Latin rhythms of rhumba, chachacha and jive.

Their soundtrack, played over a smart speaker, featured well known tunes such as Nat King Cole’s Let There Be Love and Brenda Lee’s Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree.
Asked what she thought of Tanya and Graham’s dancing, Joan said: “It was absolutely spot on. I give it a definite thumbs-up.”
Joan, whose favourite dance is the foxtrot, had dance lessons when she was growing up in Birmingham and went on to perform in a troupe that went on national tours, taking in hotels, village halls and seaside resort venues.

After retirement and a move to Ferndown, Joan continued to perform at events such as community tea dances.

After their show and taking time to help Joan revisit some dance moves herself, Tanya and Graham said the visit had been hugely enjoyable.
Tanya said: “It just goes to prove that dance really is for everybody, no matter your age. Dance is a great way to maintain your physical and mental wellbeing as you get older while having fun at the same time. It can be both invigorating and therapeutic.”
Graham agreed, adding: “You’re never too old to try out a move or two. We loved meeting Joan and the other residents and hopefully brought back some happy memories for them.”

Sarah Moule, Brook View’s Companionship Team leader, said: “Joan used to perform on stage in lots of different shows and had expressed a wish to dance again. We were only too pleased to make it happen for her.”

Canine competitors bid to be top dog

Prize pooches were on parade as Brook View held a charity dog show
Our home staged the event as a fun experience for residents and to raise funds to help disabled people in the community.

Staff and residents’ families were invited to bring their pets along to enter classes such as Loveliest Lady, Most Fabulous Fella and Waggiest Tail.

To help with the judging, team members invited dog lover and resident Patricia Upshall to cast her expert eye over the competitors.

After declaring Maison as winner of the Fabulous Fella category, Patricia, who used to breed Dachshunds and belonged to the Kennel Club, said: “It was a different experience to what I’m used to, but it was great fun. I thoroughly enjoyed the whole afternoon.”

Also among the competitors was Ellie the greyhound, our new Pets as Therapy dog.

Our Companionship Team Leader Sarah Moule said: “Our last community dog show was a couple of years ago and we have been so keen to welcome back such happy, family-friendly events.
“Our residents love dogs. They really help to bring joy and company to people.”
The show was held in support of The Friends of Dolphin, a charity that provides free boat rides from Poole Harbour for people with disabilities.

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