NEWSLETTER

Friday 12th December “Knit a Jumper” day for staff to wear festive woollies or t-shirts for

a £2 donation towards Save the Children

Monday 15th December Christmas Photo Booth, all week at Castle Hill House—Basket to

be found around the house with festive props and camera to take photographs, residents, visitors and staff, have fun ! Winners of the best 3 photographs to be announced on

Christmas Eve Furry Party: visit from Ann at “Animals in Education”, Castle Hill

House, 10.30am

Tuesday 16th December Abbey School Choir, Castle Hill House, 11.00am

Christmas Joy Pantomime at Castle Hill House, 2pm Abbey School Choir, Cedars Nursing Home, 2pm

Wednesday 17th December Father’s House singers at The Cedars Nursing Home, 2.30pm

Monday 22nd December Staff Nativity play at The Cedars, 4pm

Tuesday 23rd December Residents Christmas Party in lounges at Castle Hill House, food,

music and “Rita the Magician” 3pm - Children welcome Staff fancy dress day, anything goes at Castle Hill House

Wednesday 24th December Candlelit Carols with sherry, cheese & nibbles at Castle Hill House

Gary the Organist at Cedars Nursing Home, 2.30pm

Thursday 25th December Father Christmas arrival at Castle Hill House, 10am

at The Cedars Nursing Home, 11.15am

Christmas Edition

December 2014

Skype is now up and running at Castle Hill House! We have had several conversations with Australia already, only a slight delay in image and speech which is amazing given the

distance! Anyone wishing to use this facility please have a chat with Katie Spranklen in the Garden Room for more information.

A WARM WELCOME TO OUR NEW RESIDENTS

Russell King, Dulcie Haskings, Joyce Wright,

Daphne Wills, Joan Berry, Kathleen Hunt, Joyce

Rawlingson, Eileen Roberts & Rev. John Painter

at Castle Hill House , Douglas Durdle, Barbara

Bowen, Patricia Day, Christine Applegath &

Clara Thomas at The Cedars Nursing Home

I wonder why time changes as Christmas approaches? Every year is the same: a determination not to get

caught up in rush and bother, which comes to nothing once December arrives.

On 2nd December staff at Castle Hill spent hours putting up decorations, discovering what was still usable and

actually having a spring clean of old baubles. Now the home looks beautiful and festive as does Cedars. We

hope that new trees this year for both homes will provoke memories of times past when all was not rush and

bother.

And in the bustle and excitement our caring staff are working as hard as ever, not just in looking after and

nurturing our residents, but also in continuing their training. We are delighted to congratulate Serena Underwood who has

gained Level 5 in Leadership and Management during the past week. Other subjects are also being studied and worked on all

the time.

How do they have time to do it? It being the now well established Cedars Nativity Play which involves staff in every way

imaginable and is much enjoyed by all – residents and visitors alike. That’s on 22nd December at 4.00pm.

We have had a year of tremendous change, saying goodbye after 20 years to Mac and hallo to April who is looking with fresh

and careful eyes at our homes which she says are safe for all. She has been very involved in our publicity drive. I hope that

you have noticed it!

One thing which I am sure has not changed is the loving kindness and caring shown to our residents. Next year, we’d like to

increase the support for families through the Family Forum so let’s wait for better weather and then meet up in March.

With my very best wishes for a Happy Christmas to you and your family

Castle Hill House, Bimport, Shaftesbury, Dorset, SP7 8AX Tel: 01747 854699 Email: admin@cedarscastlehill.co.uk - The Cedars Nursing Home, Angel Lane, Shaftesbury, Dorset, SP7 8DF Tel: 01747 852860 Email: enquiries@cedarscastlehill.co.uk

A festive welcome to everyone, firstly and most importantly I would like to say a huge thank you to each and every one of our staff who have all been working so hard caring for our residents, all your efforts are greatly appreciated. Since I joined on the 1st July this year, we have faced and overcome a number of challenges, I’m sure there will be others in the future, but I am confident with us all working together we can face and

overcome these challenges triumphantly to continue the good work. Wishing you all a lovely Christmas and a peaceful New Year. April King, General Manager/Director of Homes

Providing dignity and respect also specialising in dementia

Please rate us on www.carehome.co.uk or NHS Choices

Brian Harding RIP We are sad to tell you that Brian Harding died on December 4, after battling cancer for several years. He was a true Friend and a vital supporter for Cedars Castle Hill who quietly created and ran a Friends organization which helped enlist important support through the early years of establishing and extending the work of the charity’s two homes. In later years, he continued low key fundraising, each year contributing several thousand pounds to our funds for those little extras which make a huge difference for residents and staff.

We send our sympathy and our thanks to his family and friends.

How refreshing it is, to meet someone who genuinely enjoys their job

and puts one hundred percent effort into it every day. Meet Jocelyn

Tirazona who works at The Cedars Nursing Home. Indeed there have

been celebrations within the home, in recognition of the fact that she

has worked every allotted day for the last ten years. She is a popular

member of a team of carers and is loved and respected by the residents.

Jocelyn was presented with a beautiful basket of fruits as a ‘Thank you’

for her decade of dedication to the home.

She was born and brought up in the Philippines but came to England ten

years ago. Back home she had trained as a physiotherapist and was

experienced in working with people of all ages. In her culture, elderly

relations are looked after within the family home, and she was able to

gain knowledge and help look after her grandparents as they aged.

Jocelyn has passed NVQ exams at levels two and three and is an ambitious member of the team –

one day she would like to become a manager. She tells me that the staff at Cedars are like family

to her and certainly, as a visitor, I was aware of a positive, caring and happy atmosphere.

The Trustees and Director are responsible for the running of Cedars Castle Hill. I have been a Trustee for 3 years following many years working as a Doctor in the NHS. My home town was Poole where I attended Parkstone Grammar School and did my medical training at Guy’s Hospital in London. Before moving to Shaftesbury in 1974 I was a GP in Macclesfield. Having a young family I was initially a Clinical Medical Officer in Wiltshire and in 1985 was invited to bring my expertise in Family Planning and women’s problems as a GP in Shaftesbury Practice where I

worked for 20 years. This was a very happy time and also included Care of the Elderly at the Westminster Memorial Hospital. After retirement I was invited to become a Trustee and this has made me become more aware of the needs of the elderly, especially those suffering from dementia. I am a frequent visitor to both homes and never cease to be amazed at the personal care given to the residents, the friendliness and devotion of the staff and the family atmosphere which always prevails. Dr Sue Daddy, Trustee

NEW GARDEN ROOM

LEAFLET AVAILABLE

PLEASE ASK FOR DETAILS

CASTLE HILL HOUSE HOLY COMMUNION

13th January 10th February

14th April 12th May 9th June 14th July

11th August 8th September 13th October

10th November 8th December

Castle Hill House, Bimport, Shaftesbury, Dorset, SP7 8AX Tel: 01747 854699 Email: admin@cedarscastlehill.co.uk - The Cedars Nursing Home, Angel Lane, Shaftesbury, Dorset, SP7 8DF Tel: 01747 852860 Email: enquiries@cedarscastlehill.co.uk

THE CEDARS NURSING HOME CASTLE HILL HOUSE

A SAD FAREWELL TO:

Pam Wildy, John Easterbrooke, Gwen Fry, Frank Shelton,

Kathleen Leen, Dorothy Doxat, Brenda Reid, David Birch & Gladys

Govier at Castle Hill House and John Smith, Leslie Richardson,

Richard Brockway & David Wheeler at The Cedars Nursing Home.

GOODBYE TO STAFF FROM BOTH HOMES:

Yvonne Cattermole, Phanee Squire, Alex

Loveland, Jemma Moodey, Gemma Luffman,

Debbie Lee, Shane Randall, Sue Randall,

Jennifer Kent, Alice Arathoon, Sally Smith &

Chloe Ainscough.

CONGRATULATIONS To Jemma & James Ellicott on the birth of their daughter Rosie Elizabeth on 26th June, to Emily & Dave Forster on the birth of

their son James William on 24th July and to Stacey James & Sean Dhruev on the birth of their son Oscar Thomas on 8th August.

Padded noticeboards….. every resident has had a cork board on the wall in their room which could be used to post letters, photos, postcards and memos. We are now in the process of turning them into much more homely looking padded notice boards, individually decorated with a choice of fabrics, ribbons and buttons. Donations of large pieces of fabric or ribbons would be very much appreciated in the Garden Room to assist in this mammoth task!

SHAFTESBURY IN BLOOM

Charlie Ingram is a much respected gentleman who now lives in

Castle Hill House.

He told me that his parents, Alfred and Jane were living in Berwick

St John when he was born, and Charlie had three sisters. He looks

back on a happy childhood and enjoyed his time at Ludwell School,

despite a three mile walk each way. He was expected to help in the

garden and with six in the house to feed, he soon learned to grow

vegetables.

His father was employed as chauffeur to the family who lived in Donhead Hall and the Ingram

family moved to a cottage in Watery Lane, Donhead St Mary to be closer to work. Charlie

remembers the generous gift of a half crown coin that he and his siblings each received at

Christmas from father’s employer.

He left school at the age of fifteen and believes he is now in his nineties but he is unsure. He

remembers having a medical when he enlisted/ tried to enrol for the army, but he was not

accepted – the doctor painted a cross on Charlie’s chest and also pointed out that he was flat

footed. So Charlie stayed at home and spent those war years growing plenty of vegetables for all

those people who remained in the area.

At some point Charlie met and married a local young lady called Gladys. They set up their home in

Enmore Green and soon had a very productive garden.

He joined firstly Fanners and later on Biddescome Builders, local building firms in Charlton and

Ludwell. He learned many skills of the trade and worked for them until he retired.

Charlie is very happy living in Castle Hill House and on fine days can be found in the garden, where

there are raised beds in which he grows and tends a selection of vegetables. The residents have

enjoyed eating potatoes, carrots and beans, all lovingly grown and freshly picked.

It was a proud moment for Charlie when he was invited to the Town Hall to receive a certificate

from the Shaftesbury in Bloom committee, in recognition of all the hard work he had carried out in

the garden at Castle Hill House.

CHRISTMAS RAFFLE TICKETS AVAILABLE IN BOTH HOMES

DAYCARE AVAILABLE IN THE

GARDEN ROOM AT CASTLE

HILL HOUSE, PLEASE PHONE

01747 854699 FOR DETAILS

Dr Sue Daddy, Trustee

We have new staff to introduce at Castle Hill House: Team Leaders: Becky Smith &

Shirley Williams, Care Assistant Supervisor: Sharon Dixon Care Assistants: Radka

Regester, Sharna Horwood, Juliet Windspeaker, Zoe Quick, Hayley McEvoy, LJ

Curamen, Louise Wilmshurst, House Services: Carole Brickell, Sophia Healy, Amy

Shorrocks & Megan WIlliams. At the Cedars we welcome, Care Assistants: Charlotte

Storer & Natasha Colclough, & Office Junior, Laura Haskell. As part of the re-structure

there have been a few changes, Debbie Clarke is now House Services Manager,

Rebecca Ashcroft is now Systems Manager, Nicky Tudor is Care Manager at Castle Hill

House and Sally Ashcroft and Mandi Tobin are Clinical Manager’s at The Cedars.

NEW HOME BROCHURE COMING SOON