In touchNorth Bucks Newsletter

Summer 2018

Blast from the past The annual scooter rally held at Carey Lodge, sparked special memories for Derek and June (pictured above). June recalled riding pillion on her husband’s Vespa and Derek remembered riding his Kawasaki.

Over forty scooter enthusiasts from a range of local clubs turned up on their precious two wheeled machines for an amazing afternoon of music and reminiscence with the residents and care team.

‘Sister Act’ tributeColleagues at Chesham Leys put on a sensational show for National Music Day.

www.fremantletrust.org

Carey Lodge, WingIn touch | North Bucks Newsletter | Summer 2018

Carey ‘Crufts’ dog showResident Nell and her family (pictured above) were absolutely delighted when their beloved terrier, Bilbo Baggins, came first in the obedience category at the annual dog show.

Family, friends and colleagues brought in their canine friends to compete in categories including waggiest tail, best obedience and best agility.

Rosettes and doggie treats were handed out to all the winners and runners up, with no furry friend going without.

Twelve dogs and their owners proudly paraded around the makeshift arena, much to the delight of everyone at the event.

Yorkshire terriers, labradors, retrievers and poodles took over the lounge and showed us what they were made of.

Crufts has got nothing on us!

A winner for Ladies’ Day Posh hats, champagne and delicious strawberries were the perfect ingredients to celebrate Ladies’ Day.

Everyone agreed that the day spent placing bets and watching the horses was fantastic fun.

Carey LodgeIn touch | North Bucks Newsletter | Summer 2018

Carers rewardedActivity organiser Haley received her certificate of appreciation and gift from Ilene, Jean and Phyllis (pictured above) during a special ceremony to thank all colleagues during National Carers Week.

A right Royal Wedding Everyone celebrated the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in style at a reception which included a three course buffet wedding breakfast washed down with champagne.

Manager Clare and Wyn (pictured above) compared hats, whilst volunteer Richard and resident Molly (pictured below) cut the cake.

Blooming wonderfulActivity organiser Linda and resident Doreen enjoyed planting flowers in preparation for Fremantle in Bloom.

Chesham Leys, CheshamIn touch | North Bucks Newsletter | Summer 2018

It’s showtimeTo celebrate National Music Day, colleagues donned fancy dress, wigs and make up to put on a show of songs from famous musicals.

Songs from Sister Act, The Wizard of Oz, Oliver and Mary Poppins were performed in their very own style, with a finale of hip shaking rock and roll.

Care worker Lisa (pictured below) wrote to the Trust’s Wishes and Dreams fund to ask for costumes specifically to put on shows for everyone and she was thrilled her wish came true.

Nail bar gets the thumbs upActivity organiser Dawn (pictured above) showcased the new nail bar located in the hairdressing salon.

The nail bar is mobile and will be visiting each ofthe houses on a regular basis to make sure everyone has the chance to enjoy its services.

With lots of wonderful colours to choose from, the free manicures are very popular amongst residents.

Let the pampering begin!

Chesham LeysIn touch | North Bucks Newsletter | Summer 2018

For the love of artMargaret (pictured above) loves to draw and paint and thanks to the expert guidance of art teacher Annie Wilkes, she has produced some wonderful creations.

Margaret, who displays her artwork in her room, commented: “I just love to paint. It is so relaxing. I really enjoy the art sessions.”

Creative activities are held regularly, ensuring that all residents can have the chance to take part.

Reminiscing the 50sEveryone had a wonderful time reminiscing the 50s era when Jane from Amersham Museum visited with lots of memorabilia.

There were hats, handbags, compacts, cigarette cases, newspapers and theatre programmes and each item brought back memories from all those years ago.

Resident Esme (pictured below) had a fantastic time trying on a 50s style hat.

Fremantle Court, Stoke MandevilleIn touch | North Bucks Newsletter | Summer 2018

Chainsaw carvingA trip to see the creative and wonderful chainsaw carving sculptures in the local village of Stoke Mandeville had residents Mary and Doris (pictured below) mesmerised.

Chainsaw carving is a fast growing form of art that combines the modern technology of the chainsaw with the ancient art of woodcarving.

Although most trees can be used, Pine, Cottonwood, Redwood and Ponderosa are said to be the best for carving as they have a thick base and a great bark, which is good for decorating.

Strictly dancingResident and keen dancer Doug thoroughly enjoyed showing assistant manager Nicola the correct hold during ballroom dancing sessions (pictured above).

A big thank you to dance teacher Shona for leading the class and sharing her expertise.

Fremantle CourtIn touch | North Bucks Newsletter | Summer 2018

Activities galoreFrom baking bread to gardening, residents Gerd (pictured above) and Penny (pictured below) always find plenty of things to keep them busy at Fremantle Court.

Animal magic A visit from some spiders, snakes, giant beetles, rabbits and tortoises made for a fabulous and interesting afternoon where everyone learnt about the animals habitats and eating habits thanks to live animal group, Zoolab.

Care worker Toni and her son Sonnii - Rae (pictured above) couldn’t wait to hold the marginated tortoise.

The marginated tortoise originates from Greece, Italy and the Balkans. It is Europe’s largest breed of tortoise weighing up to 11lb (5kg).

The tortoise is a vegetarian, eating dandelions, clovers and most salad leaves and greens.

Icknield Court, Princes RisboroughIn touch | North Bucks Newsletter | Summer 2018

Bucks Art WeekAnnette and Ann (pictured above) thoroughly enjoyed their visit to St. Dunstan’s Church in Monks Risborough, where a selection of arts and crafts were exhibited for Bucks Art Week.

Iris, (pictured below) commented: “What a wonderful day out, seeing all the beautiful fabric, pottery and pictures. I had a great time.”

Bucks Art Week is an annual event held in June where local artists all over the county open up their studios and hold exhibitions and events to showcase and demonstrate their work.

Animal AntiksThe sun was shining and everyone was in great spirits as alpacas, sheep, chickens, rabbits, snakes and other reptiles from Animal Antiks paid everyone a visit.

During the visit, kitchen assistant Gilly, (pictured above) was incredibly brave and was able to overcome her lifelong phobia of snakes.

After some gentle persuasion and encouragement from colleagues and residents, Gilly not only managed to hold the snake, she even let it slither around in her hands.

Gilly commented: “I was petrified at first, but once I got used to him, he was really rather nice.”

Well done Gilly!

Icknield CourtIn touch | North Bucks Newsletter | Summer 2018

Karaoke kings and queensEveryone enjoys a good old sing song, so the regular karaoke evenings with entertainer Florin are great fun for everyone.

Singing along to favourite hits by Tom Jones, Elvis Presley and Doris Day, resident Sally, (pictured above) had a great time belting out all the classics.

Whether they were singing from their seats or dancing along to the music, everyone loved listening to each other perform and entertain the group.

Keep singing Sally!

Garden renovationsResidents and the care team were keen to up-cycle their existing garden furniture to make the outdoor space more welcoming.

After consulting with residents, activity co-ordinator Ewa paid a visit to the local DIY store and bought some paint and brushes.

They then set to work renovating all the garden furniture in beautiful, vibrant colours.

Everyone at the home has commented on how lovely the furniture looks and how it brightens up the garden.

Ewa commented: “We had a great time. Brian told me lots of interesting stories about his past DIY projects. He even got up earlier than usual to ensure the painting was complete.”

Thank you Brian and Ewa, a job well done.

Lewin House, AylesburyIn touch | North Bucks Newsletter | Summer 2018

Food glorious foodNational Food Safety Week was celebrated with Lewin House colleagues cooking their favourite traditional dishes from their place of birth, and sharing the delicious delights with everyone.

Kitchen assistant Girlie (pictured above with Mary) brought in a variety of savoury dishes from the Philippines, whilst Zahida (pictured above right) shared a selection of foods from Pakistan with Margaret.

Other traditional dishes from Italy, Bulgaria and Poland were also cooked and brought along for everyone to try.

Activity organiser Tina said: “Everyone really enjoyed tasting the different foods while discussing the changes of food safety hygiene over the years.”

Lewin HouseIn touch | North Bucks Newsletter | Summer 2018

Fabulous furnitureWhen activity organiser Tina wanted to paint the garden furniture and fences, resident Bertie was first to volunteer to help.

He loves a spot of DIY and agreed that the garden could benefit from a sprucing up.

Everyone agreed that the garden looks great.

Well done Bertie!

Green fingered Scouts1st Berryfield Scouts Group paid Lewin House a special visit to help with some light gardening.

Everyone loved chatting to the beavers and cubs as they excitedly pottered around with trowels and spades.

Men only clubThe ‘men only club’ took a trip to Green Park Activity Centre in Aston Clinton to see a display of vintage vehicles and memorabilia.

Everyone had a great day out and loved seeing the classic cars in all their glory.

Bedside BuddiesIn touch | North Bucks Newsletter | Summer 2018

Whoooo’s a lovely owlBarny the owl is a frequent visitor to Lewin House thanks to a family friend.

Barny loves a cuddle and a stroke and visits people in their rooms, making sure everyone has the chance to meet him.

Residents Jack (pictured above) and Johnny (pictured below) enjoyed giving him some special attention.

Amazing alpacasDerek (pictured above) had a great time when Animal Antiks brought alpacas to visit everyone at Icknield Court.

The alpacas didn’t mind all the attention they received as they ventured down the hallway to visit Derek in his room.

Everyone loved seeing the furry friends explore and navigate the home.

Alpacas are very gentle and curious creatures that can be easily trained, making them great pets and wonderful visitors.

They are often mistaken for llamas, as the two animals look very similar, even though alpacas are usually much smaller.

Community LinksIn touch | North Bucks Newsletter | Summer 2018

Scooter groups visit Carey LodgeResidents at Carey Lodge were thrilled when scooter clubs The Tin Soldiers, Buzzards, Urban Pirates and Red Kites paid them a special visit.

Reminiscing about their youth, everyone chatted about their experiences with motorbikes and scooters and had a wonderful time.

Leisure and lifestyle manager Sue Faulkner said: “It was a lovely day, bringing lots of smiles and fond memories!”

Morris Men at Lewin HouseA fantastic time was had by all when the Whitchurch Morris Men came along and gave everyone a brilliant show of traditional Morris dancing.

To celebrate their 70th year, the Whitchuch Morris Dancers have toured all over the country performing their traditional folk dancing, much to the delight of their audiences.

Meeting weekly in Wilstone Village Hall, the group members mainly come from around the Aylesbury area, but they still have some from as far as Scotland, Wales, Somerset and Cumbria.

Message from our regional directorsIn touch | North Bucks Newsletter | Summer 2018

“Kind and supportive care workers.”One of the Trust’s values is to ensure everyone ‘puts care and kindness at the heart of all they do’.

You can provide feedback to the Trust on how you feel this is demonstrated by writing us a carehome.co.uk review.

Every home has review cards (pictured below) which you can complete and send back, or you can write a review online at www.carehome.co.uk to share your thoughts.

You can rate elements such as activities, management and facilities, which helps to inform and educate people who are currently looking for a care home.

If you need further information on how to submit a review, please speak to the home manager.

Summer fun It has been lovely to see residents and colleagues making the most of the warm weather by joining up with community groups and attending local events. From trips on the River Thames to picnics in the park, each service has embraced the summer months in their own special way.

Robin Comerford is now in full swing in his role asregional director and has been out and about meeting as many residents, families and colleagues as possible.

As someone who is passionate about improving resident wellbeing, especially in the area of dementia care, he is thrilled to be supporting the development of the Trust’s dementia strategy.

With more dementia enabling environments being created, our managers are committed to identifying ways they can enhance our dementia services to help people ‘live well with dementia’.

As manager of the leisure and lifestyle team, Jo Head is excited to see innovative elements being introduced such as the implementation of a Tovertafel table at Apthorp Care Centre, the dementia friendly garden at Fremantle Court and the wonderful mural at Carey Lodge.

With summer not quite over yet, we are looking forward to seeing even more fantastic day trips, celebrations and of course, smiling faces.

Summer 2018In touch | North Bucks Newsletter

Calendar of Upcoming Events

01-Sep-2018 Summer feteFremantle Court welcomes the local community for their summer fete with traditional stalls and games.

07-Sep-2018 Strictly ballroomCarey Lodge hosts a demonstration of classic ballroom from dancers Michael and Kirsty.

29-Sep-2018 Comedy nightAn evening of traditional Music Hall comedy, song and dance at Icknield Court.

01-Oct-2018 Older People’s DayA variety of events in all services to celebrate Older People’s Day.

07-Oct-2018 Grandparents DayAfternoon tea with entertainment to celebrate Grandparents Day at Chesham Leys and Fremantle Court.

31-Oct-2018 Halloween partyGhouls, ghosts and entertainment to celebrate Halloween at Lewin House.

31-Oct-2018 Spooky sing-a-longChesham Leys hosts a Halloween themed song and dance session.

31-Oct-2018 Creepy crawlie visitCarey Lodge hosts creepy crawlies from Wild Science followed by a Halloween party with singing and dancing.

www.fremantletrust.org

05-Nov-2018 Guy Fawkes nightIcknield Court hosts a firework display with hotdogs, hot chocolate and marshmallows.

Summer 2018In touch | North Bucks Newsletter

SpecialpresentationLewin House resident Irene had aspecial surprise when the 1st Berryfield Scouts visited.

Celia, Group Scout Leader and Andrew, Assistant Scout Leader (pictured left) presented Irene with a scarf and made her an honorary member of the Group.

Irene used to be an Akela (cub leader) so she was absolutely delighted.

www.fremantletrust.org