Open Days for veterans and their partners at Surbiton care home
Royal Star & Garter is holding two open days at its Surbiton Home. They will take place on 7 and 9 October, and showcase the exceptional nursing and dementia care it provides for veterans and their partners, alongside its Day Care and Lunch Clubs. The open days will run from 11am-1pm on 7 October and 2-4pm on 9 October, and those wishing to attend are asked to register in advance. The Home provides loving, compassionate care to veterans and their partners living with disability or dementia. Day Care and Lunch Clubs are among newer services reaching out into the community which have also been launched at the Home. Those attending the open days will be given a snapshot of everyday life at the Upper Brighton Road Home, and the chance to speak to the Home Manager and other senior staff. They will be offered a tour of the Home, which will include the in-house physiotherapy room and hair salon, gardens, activities rooms and lounges. Visitors will also have the chance to join in with the activities organised by the dedicated Wellbeing team, and chat to residents. Helena Maher, Home Manager at Royal Star & Garter in Surbiton, said: “We understand that choosing a care home can feel like a big decision, which is why we’d love to welcome you for a visit. Our Home is like a family, dedicated to caring for veterans and their partners with warmth and compassion. Open days are a great chance to have a look around, see the fantastic facilities and activities on offer, and have a friendly chat with our team.” The open days are for veterans – including reservists and those who completed National Service – and/or their partners, as well as two accompanying relatives or friends. Those wishing to attend are asked to register interest online through Eventbrite, with places limited to three per booking. To register interest, please go to bit.ly/SRB-Open-Days If you are unable to register online, please call 0808 281 5068. If you are unable to attend the open days but would like a tour of the Home or to speak to staff about becoming a resident or a short break, please email enquiries@starandgarter.org or call 0808 281 5068. www.facebook.com/starandgarter https://bsky.app/profile/royalstarandgarter.bsky.social www.instagram.com/royalstarandgarter https://www.linkedin.com/company/starandgarter
Care expert reveals 5 seated exercises
As we get older, staying active is key to maintaining independence. However, traditional exercise often becomes more difficult due to reduced mobility, loss of muscle strength, and joint pain. The good news is that chair-based exercise is a great low-impact activity that helps older adults keep moving and build strength from the comfort of home. Sophie Dales from The Leeds United Foundation, who runs the exercise class at Weavers Court Care Home, shares why it’s important to stay mobile and 5 seated exercises that can improve strength and flexibility later in life. Why are mobility and strength so important later in life? “As we age, walking and getting around can become more difficult, which can make everyday tasks feel overwhelming. That is why exercises that target mobility are important to help improve strength and flexibility. Regular exercise also supports overall health, helping to reduce the risk of age-related conditions such as osteoporosis and heart disease,” explains Sophie, who runs regular exercise classes at the care home in Leeds. “Aging looks different for everyone, but for older adults over 60 who are already be experiencing mobility issues and joint pain, strenuous exercises may not be feasible. That is why we encourage armchair exercise as a low-impact alternative that still effectively builds muscle strength, enhances flexibility, and gently raises their heart rate.” “Research has shown that armchair exercises can help us as we age and assist in some of the everyday tasks and challenges that we may face later in life. Whether that’s walking short distances, getting up and down stairs, or carrying heavier objects around the house.” 5 seated exercises to improve strength and mobility Chest Stretch Upper-Body Twist Hip Marching Ankle Stretch Neck Rotation
Chancellor Rachel Reeves MP visits Acacia Court
Residents and colleagues at HC-One’s Acacia Court Care Home in Pudsey, West Yorkshire, welcomed Rachel Reeves, MP for Leeds West and Pudsey and Chancellor of the Exchequer. The visit was hosted by James Tugendhat, Chief Executive Officer of HC-One and Hannah Carrington, General Site Manager at Acacia Court, who accompanied the Chancellor on a guided tour of the 41-bed residential and residential dementia care home. Ms. Reeves joined residents and colleagues in the lounge, where she enjoyed a cuppa and a slice of cake while chatting about daily life at Acacia Court. The relaxed conversation offered an opportunity to hear first-hand about the positive experiences of those living and working at the home, as well as its vital role at the heart of the Pudsey community. Residents warmly welcomed the Chancellor, sharing their appreciation for the home and its colleagues while enjoying a friendly game of dominoes – a moment that captured the warm and supportive atmosphere Acacia Court is proud to provide. The visit also highlighted HC-One’s ongoing commitment to delivering kind, high-quality care and building strong community connections. Hannah Carrington, General Site Manager at HC-One’s Acacia Court Care Home, said: “It was such a special day for us, and it meant a great deal that the Chancellor chose to visit Acacia Court. Our residents really valued the chance to share their personal stories and raise the issues that matter most to them, and it was wonderful to see how engaged she was in listening to their experiences. Moments like this go beyond a simple visit, they help build important connections between care homes and politicians, helping to ensure that the voices of older people in our community are truly heard.” Rachel Reeves, MP for Leeds West and Pudsey and Chancellor of the Exchequer, commented: “It was a pleasure to meet with Acacia Court in Pudsey who are doing excellent work providing dignity and comfort to residents.” For more information about HC-One care homes in your area, please visit www.hc-one.co.uk/carehomes.
Friends Place Opens Its Doors
At Friends Place, the new state-of-the-art residential care home run by charity Friends of the Elderly, in Calcot, Reading, the care team is busy putting the finishing touches making sure everything is ready for its first free Open Weekend, which is taking place on Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th September. Offering residential, dementia and respite care and a day care service, Friends Place has been caringly and conscientiously designed to create a warm and welcoming atmosphere where residents feel valued, secure, and supported. “The newly opened Friends Place brings not only delivers high-quality care but also creates 30 new jobs to the local area,” said Alina Gutu, General Manager at the care home. “We are extremely happy to be in Calcot and are looking forward to becoming a valued member of the local community. “We will be hosting our Open Weekend and inviting all our new neighbours, professionals from the medical and care services, members of the local community, prospective residents and their families to visit us and see, first hand, our fantastic facilities and care team in action.” “There will be a wide range of activities taking place including tours of Friends Place which will take in our Cinema Room, Bar, Tea Room and Garden Room, Beauty Salon, beautiful, landscaped gardens and outside seating areas, the comfortable, spacious communal areas, stylish lounges and much more,” added Friends Place’s Activities Coordinator, Elisha Hall Jones. … “Guests will also have the opportunity to indulge in some delicious refreshments, enjoy entertainment courtesy of singer and performer Victor Burbridge and also the chance to take part in a selection of other activities. Plus, on Sunday 14th September, we are offering free mini head and shoulder massage taster sessions,” added Alina. Friends Place is more than just a care home – it is a place to belong within a caring and loving community where every resident is treated with respect, dignity and esteem. “Everyone at Friends Place is looking forward to the Open Weekend and welcoming our guests to our lovely care home,” continued Alina. “It will also give us a wonderful opportunity to demonstrate our focus of giving the older people in our care the support they need to continue to live fulfilled lives, whether they stay with us as a full time resident, are enjoying a short-term respite break or attending the day care service. We look forward to showing our visitors the support and care we offer, every hour of every day.” No booking required, please click the link below for more information: https://ow.ly/MYPA50WRjrm
NACC TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT
NACC TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT FORUM 2025 PROGRAMME CONFIRMED The National Association of Care Catering (NACC) once again returns to the East Midlands Conference Centre, Nottingham, 1 – 2 October, for the NACC Training & Development Forum 2025*. The theme for the Forum this year is ‘Future Proofing Your Care Catering Operations’ and will cover everything someone working in the care catering sector will need to know now and for the future. The Forum will provide a wide range of keynote speakers, masterclasses, live cookery demonstrations, meet the buyer/supplier meetings, exhibition viewing and networking. This year’s programme, reflects the issues that are topical within the care sector including a look at how the Care Home Catering market will evolve over the next decade and asking the question ‘are central production kitchen’s the way forward for the sector? The first day will commence with the popular meet the buyer/supplier meetings. A number of new and returning premier partners and exhibitors will be on hand to talk about their products and offers. These will include names such as Atosa Catering Equipment UK Ltd, Cuisine Centre, Dunsters Farm, Love Struck, Middleton Food Products, Nisbets Ltd, ProSauce UK, WaterADE. Click here to view full list. https://bit.ly/3IFHex3 The day will conclude with a celebration of the 2025 Care Chef of the Year finalists, with the crowning of this year’s winner. This is a change from previous years and allows the chef to receive the attention that they truly deserve. Neel Radia, National Chair of the NACC will kick off the second day with opening remarks, followed by plenary sessions exploring how to future-proof your care home kitchen and leverage AI and technology to enhance your services. Other sessions will reflect on the first year under the new government, examine the caterer’s role in supporting resident wellbeing, and explore the risks associated with feeding residents who have allergies or other dietary challenges. RELEVANT PROGRAMME: The Forum will be chaired by Phil Raynsford and the expert keynote speakers set to inform and inspire include:Simon Stenning, Founder, Future Foodservice – How will Britain eat in the care home catering market over the next 10 years. The presentation will explore all the developments for the future of care home catering, the key trends, drivers of change and emerging consumer demands. Simon will outline the most relevant food trends and consumer behaviours over the next 10 years and how they will affect the provision of services in care home catering. Josh Hawker, Head of Operations, Ablecare Homes Ltd – Are Care central production kitchen’s the way forward in the Care Sector? Josh will explain how a regional care home group with a young and dynamic team, now have a central production kitchen to feed all their homes – the team will discuss the benefits to management, operations, kitchen staff and ultimately residents. David Mulcahy, Vice President, The Craft Guild of Chefs – Future proofing your Care Home Kitchen – David will look at how adopting sustainable practices can help care providers future-proof their operations against potential risks associated with climate change, resource shortages, and economic fluctuations. The session will look at practical sustainability practices from across the Hospitality Sector. Vic Rayner OBE, Chief Executive Officer, The National Care Forum – Adult Social care – Where are we now? – Vic will bring you right up to date with the latest policy and practice across adult social care. She will talk through the very significant impacts of new legislation and policy as well as ensuring that you have a flavour of how care is changing in relation to the use of technology, latest models of delivery and what is coming over the horizon! Dr Jane Townsend OBE, CEO, Homecare Association – Use of AI and technology in Care Services – This session will look at how AI and technology is used, where it works best and the benefits to the care business. As businesses prepare for the future, the importance of technology, sustainability and AI in hospitality will only grow. Adopting AI-driven solutions is no longer a question of “if,” but “when”. INSPIRING COOKING DEMONSTRATIONS Following on from the success of last year, there will be four demonstrations. Special celebrity Chef, Cyrus Todiwala OBE DL, Saturday Kitchen and Chef Proprietor of Café Spice Namasté will be cooking some delicious small plate dishes for the delegates to take inspiration from and share with their residents. Richard Clark, North England Area Manager, Robot Coupe – will give ideas to increase residents’ hydration and fibre intake through a range of great tasting drinks. James Brown, Development Chef, Unilever Food Solutions and Samuel Sewell, Head Chef, Cinnamon Care Collection & NACC Care Chef of the Year 2024 will demonstrate Desserts with Benefits. This cookery demonstration will serve up some fabulous dessert ideas on how to give residents the tastiest, and naughtiest looking sweet treat at the end of their meal, which is, in fact packed with as much goodness and nutrition as possible. Continuing the sustainability theme, Respect the ingredient – will see Jamie Clews, Key Account Manager and Development Chef, Metcalfe Catering looking at reducing food waste one item at a time. EDUCATIONAL AND INTERACTIVE MASTERCLASSES Delegates will have the opportunity of attending two of the dynamic masterclasses, including: DRY STORE INNOVATIONSDanny Silcock, Development Chef, Brakes In this presentation, Brakes care development chef Danny Silcock shares his insights and ideas around the unsung heroes of care home catering – dry-store ingredients. He’ll outline his list of core ingredients, selected for cost-effectiveness, low waste and suitability for different skill levels, and discuss the importance of creating and enhancing base flavours and textures to add variety and avoid menu fatigue. He’ll also reveal his own top three ingredients; two of them very familiar, and the third a potential surprise! FERMENTATION – HELP YOUR RESIDENTS MAINTAIN A HEALTHY GUT Colin Wheeler-James, Founder, Ground up Cookery School will give tips on how to help residents maintain a healthy gut and overall well-being, whilst also reducing food waste. ALTERNATIVE
NACC Awards 2025 shortlist announced
The National Association of Care Catering (NACC) has revealed the shortlist for the NACC National Awards 2025. The prestigious awards recognise and celebrate teams and individuals that epitomise excellence, innovation, dedication and outstanding contributions within the care catering sector. Across six categories the finalists represent those working in or associated with care catering that deliver exceptional service every day, from care homes, Meals on Wheels services and Lunch Clubs to suppliers to the sector. The overall winners will be announced at a special gala awards dinner on Thursday 2nd October 2025 which is part of the NACC Training & Development Forum held at the East Midlands Conference Centre, Nottingham. The NACC National Awards 2025 finalists are: Care Establishment of the Year Award, sponsored by allmanhall • Severn View Park Care HomeMeals on Wheels Award, sponsored by apetito • NACC Region of the Year Award, sponsored by Meiko UK
How to avoid burn-out and protect your wellbeing
Working as a carer, whether that be as a paid carer or un-paid carer for a family member, can be challenging for some people’s mental wellbeing. It has been reported that many of those who work in the care sector are experiencing burn out and other negative emotions whilst working in the profession. But how can you take steps to negate these feelings and look after yourself and the person you are caring for? Michael Berkley-Blezard at the Elmfield care group home Old Sarum Manor, shares his tips for protecting your wellbeing when working in care. The signs of burn-out Michael says: “Becoming burnt-out is something that happens over time, and the signs can include anxiety or depression. These can show up at work and at home and symptoms include severe exhaustion, feeling cut off from others, having no hope, energy, or reason for things to change. Burnout can also look less obvious, for instance being unusually forgetful, catching more colds than usual, struggling to make simple decisions, or even feeling guilty for taking breaks. Sometimes carers don’t realise they’re burnt out because they don’t recognise the less common signs.” Michael shares: “Taking time for self-care is essential in preventing burn-out. This can look different for different people but simply taking time to exercise, focusing on proper nutrition and establishing a sleep routine will all help to make you feel more regulated. “Trying to spend time doing hobbies is also a great way to practice self-care. Whether it be reading or playing 5-a-side with your friends, it can help you feel more likeyourself. Even if you can only do it for a couple of hours a week, it is important to carve out that time for yourself.” Michael explains: “Whilst it may feel difficult, sometimes the best thing you can do is talk. Whether it be to your friends and family or you seek out additional support. Charities such as The Care Workers charity, Carers trust and Carers UK are accessible for all carers across the UK. “If there is a serious issue or matter that is affecting your mental health and needs to be resolved, this is when you need to take things higher up to your manager or wider management. This will allow for any significant and drastic issues to be dealt with in a professional way, which will also take some of the pressure and stress off yourself. Whilst it may be tough to do this, it is always the route to take to ensure that problems are solved properly and stops them from impacting on your personalwellbeing.” Michael says: “Knowledge is power, sometimes learning and developing is a great way to support your mental wellbeing and reduce the likelihood of burn-out. This is for multiple reasons, one being that attending training courses may help you understand why situations are dealt with in a certain way. This will help you learn best practices which as a result, can lessen the stress associated with trying to make the right decision. A second reason being that continuously learning and widening your scope helps to keep your days varied and more exciting. “You can also join support groups and learn from other people’s experiences, and share your knowledge with others. Connecting with other people in the same industry or position as you also creates a sense of community, which is seen to be beneficial in supporting mental wellbeing.” “Taking time to reflect on your day or week, or maybe month if you struggle to find time for it, is a great way to be able to check in with yourself and identify how you are feeling before you reach the point of burn-out,” Michael explains. “Journaling and writing down your thoughts, feelings and things that have happened allows you to process and understand them more. “Whether you’re an unpaid carer or working within a care home, remembering the importance of what you do and how you care for and support the people you look after also helps to put feelings into perspective.” Michael says: “Whilst it can be difficult, it is essential to advocate for yourself and your mental wellbeing and know your limits before you do become burnt-out. If you are consistently working more hours than you are supposed to or you are not taking any time to do activities that you enjoy, you need to be able to recognise this and try and put a stop to it. “The simple act of only working your set hours and trying to not think about work or talk to people from work when not there, will contribute greatly to finding a work-life balance which ultimately leads to better mental-wellbeing and prevents burn-out. If you are an un-paid carer, respite care could be something that may benefit you and the person you care for.” Karolina Gerlich, CEO of The Care Workers’ Charity, shares: “Looking after your wellbeing as a care worker is vital, not just for your own health, but for the people you support every day. The emotional and physical demands of care work can be overwhelming, and without proper support, burnout becomes a real risk. At The Care Workers’ Charity, we’re here to ensure no care worker faces those challenges alone. Whether it’s through mental health support, financial grants, or simply a listening ear, we are committed to helping carers take care of themselves, too.”
Charity’s 120th Anniversary celebrate
At New Copford Place, the Colchester-based residential care home run by charity Friends of the Elderly, the residents and care team put their Blue Suede Shoes to work as they celebrated the charity’s 120th Anniversary with a 1950s community ‘Bop’ party. On Saturday 9th August, the care home went back in time to the ‘Rockin’ 50s’ and hosted a free ‘Jitterbugging’ party and summer BBQ. “To celebrate Friends of the Elderly’s landmark 120th Anniversary, we hosted a ‘hip’ and ‘groovy’, inclusive and accessible summer community event,” said Daniel Sabau, the Registered Manager at the care home. “The residents thoroughly enjoyed the ‘cool’ event and loved chatting with our guests from the local community,” added Chelsey Leather, the care home’s Activities Coordinator. “The idea for the 1950s extravaganza came from one of our regular reminiscing sessions. The residents adore all genres of music, but the rock n’ roll songs of the 50s are a firm favourite, so they decided that was the theme of the event they wanted to go with.” “To get the party started, the residents and care team pulled out all the stops and dressed in their 1950s best,” added Jaz McDade, New Copford Place’s Deputy Manager. “There were plenty of full, petticoated Poodle skirts, head scarves and smart, sharp suits. Everyone made a fantastic effort and looked so great, they would have easily fitted into a 1950s drive in or a classic American Soda Shop. New Copford Place’s beautiful gardens were transformed into a 50s pleasure park, with a host of garden games for guests to enjoy. “There was a Tombola with lots of prizes which visitors and residents had fun winning, a paddling pool with traditional hook rods for ‘Hook A Duck’, games of Giant Jenga and Quoits and the classic summer attraction ‘Splat the Manager’,” continued Jaz. Everyone at the care home’s 120th Anniversary spectacular enjoyed a delicious 1950s themed BBQ, refreshments, tasty deserts – including the summer staple of Strawberries and Cream – and cooling ice creams from the Whip It Like Webber ice cream van. “We had the brilliant Natalie Edgoose and Les Simmons, who are better known as Cornflower Acoustic, performing a great selection of 1950s hits and chart toppers,” added Chelsey. “Cornflower Acoustic got everyone up and dancing to well-known and much loved 50s songs including Jailhouse Rock, Rock Around The Clock, Tutti Frutti and Rock-In Robin to name but a few.” “We all had a wonderful time celebrating Friends of the Elderly’s 120th Anniversary and seeing old friends and welcoming new friends to New Copford Place. It really was a perfect day and a great chance for everyone at the care home to spend a lovely day together with their families, friends and members and our local community,” concluded Daniel. www.fote.org.uk
Hartford Care acquires five homes from The Graham Care Group
Foundation Partners and Deer Capital have acquired five fully operational homes across Kent from The Graham Care Group, in a move which takes their total investment to over £300m in the last 12 months under the Hartford Care brand. The sale reinforces Hartford Care’s ambitious expansion strategy and adds a further 513 bedrooms to its growing portfolio which now comprises 29 homes in the UK (over 1,800 bedrooms). The purpose-built homes acquired are Cornford House and Hazeldene House in Pembury, Woodchurch House in Ashford, Hawkinge House on the outskirts of Folkestone and Hawkhurst House in Hawkhurst. The homes have a current occupancy in excess of 95%, reflecting the high quality of the service and environment on offer to residents; the experienced and valued staff in every home will be retained. All the homes offer studio and one-bedroom suites, which include a kitchenette, living and dining area. These provide a home for life for residents with nursing needs, while Hawkinge House and Hawkhurst House include a Proactive Assessment Unit, offering hospital discharge patients access to primary assessment and treatment capabilities. Hawkinge House also offers an innovative short-term unit, for those requiring rehabilitation before returning home. Ben Puddle, Managing Partner, Foundation Partners, said: “We are very pleased with this acquisition, which broadens the scope of our services to include complex care alongside our established provision of residential, nursing and dementia care. This milestone brings us one step closer to realising our ambition of delivering a truly national, fully integrated, full-service care offering across the UK. Together with our partners at Deer Capital, we have a strong pipeline of near-term acquisitions that we hope to announce in the coming weeks that will further expand our capabilities and enhance the services and locations we provide to the communities we serve.” Kevin Shaw, Chief Executive of Hartford Care, comments: “The acquisition of these homes from The Graham Care Group represents another exciting milestone in our growth plan and marks our geographical expansion into Kent for the first time. It enables us to offer our expert care and ‘home from home’ environment to even more residents in new communities. We’re proud to carry on the legacy of Graham Care Group’s expertise and are working closely with the team to ensure a smooth transition as we bring the homes into the Hartford Care family.” Ernie Graham, Founder and Owner, The Graham Care Group, comments: “Hartford’s philosophy of care for the entire local community in which each home is based aligns closely with our own. This ethos is evident across their homes and in the expert support and care their residents receive. We’re looking forward to continuing to collaborate with the Hartford Care team during the acquisition period and wholly supporting our staff, residents and families through a seamless handover while we continue to operate in other areas of the South East running our existing homes and developing new ones.” Hartford Care’s Central Support Team is based in Basingstoke, Hampshire. Established in 2003, its current care homes are in Bristol, Berkshire (Burnham and Maidenhead), Devon (Sidmouth), Dorset (Poole), Hampshire (Aldershot, Barton-on-Sea, Four Marks, Hythe, Portsmouth, Winchester and Woodlands), Isle of Wight (Bembridge, Ryde and Shanklin), Oxfordshire (Witney) and Wiltshire (Downton and Swindon). Two new homes in Alton and Southampton recently opened their doors to new residents, with two more homes under construction. www.hartfordcare.co.uk
