As we all adjust to a new way of living and working, in response to the threat presented by Covid-19, staff and residents at Katherine House and Griffiths House share news of how they’ve been getting active and staying positive.
Residents have been engaging in a wide variety of fun and stimulating activities over the past few weeks, planned and coordinated by the energetic Wellbeing Team who bring positive energy to the homes every day.
Art Clubs
Inspired by the new Banksy artwork in Barton Hill, we held a very interesting art lecture on Banksy’s social and political commentary throughout his pieces. Residents were invited to explore Banksy’s stencilling technique and share their thoughts on how he creates his work, trying it out for themselves.
Residents’ Meeting
Care Home Manager, Vivienne Withers, and Wellbeing Coordinator, Sabina Green, hosted the quarterly Residents Meeting, where residents are invited to share their thoughts and ideas about what happens in the homes. We discussed ideas for outings, reviewed the current activities programme and talked about what residents would like to see more of. Everyone was pleased to have an input on how things are run in both homes.
Valentine’s Day Ball
Residents created a host of wonderful crafts to decorate the homes and also made cards for their loved ones. We sang our favourite love songs, read romantic poetry and watched classic romantic comedies.
We all enjoyed the Valentine’s Day Ball, with a special performance by Shannon Kitchen, from ITV’s ‘The Voice’.
Residents were served lemon sorbet as they watched The Royal Ballet’s ‘Romeo & Juliet’, starring Margot Fonteyn & Rudolf Nuroyev.
Moroccan Tea Party
Wellbeing Assistant, Emily, took the residents on a sensory trip to Morocco by holding a Moroccan Tea Party. Residents were able to explore Moroccan culture and discuss the similarities between countries they have visited. We sipped Moroccan tea, smelt fresh mint and spices and listened to beautiful music.
Talent Show
Brave residents and staff took to the stage for an unforgettable performance, with the Wellbeing Team transforming into sparkling hosts Marvellous Monty and Magic Mavis to present the fantastic line up of acts.
The show opened with staff singing and dancing to ‘YMCA’. Residents were invited up on the dance floor to sing along and wave colourful flags to the uplifting music.
Katherine House hairdresser, Aubrey, and carer, Fiona, gave a lively performance of ‘Grease Lightning’, much to the delight of everyone in the audience.
Katherine House resident, Norma, performed a fabulous comedy routine which had residents and staff doubled over in laughter!
A handful of residents selected their favourite poems and recited them beautifully: John A impressed everyone as he recited from memory ‘O Captain! My Captain!’ by Walt Whitman; Joyce gave a wonderful reading of ‘Leisure’ by W H Davies; John M read ‘Ode to the Welfare State’ by David J. Theroux; and Phyllis read ‘The Soldier’ by Rupert Brooke. Phyllis first recited this aloud as a young girl in a school competition and she remembers her fear as she climbed onto the platform to face the audience. The poem has remained in her head since that day and performing it aloud in front of a large group of people after all this time was a big accomplishment for her.
Our wonderful residents are young at heart and full of fun and enthusiasm. To find out what we’ve been getting up to most recently at Katherine House and Griffiths House, please follow the Cote Charity on Twitter and Instagram @cotecharity1.
