Care South Take 5 January 2024

Take

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News and views from around Care South Issue 22 | January 2024

Birthday dream comes true for Eileen! page

SCAN THE QR CODE TO WATCH THE VIDEO!

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Inside...

Update from Simon Bird...........................2 A Moment with Maggie.............................3 Update from Martin Ross, Director of Care South at Home...............4 Memory Box Foundation at Castle Dene...........................................4

page Festive fun at the AFC Bournemouth Christmas Coffee Morning SCAN THE QR CODE TO WATCH THE VIDEO!

Update from Phil Smith, Director of Residential Care.....................5

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Care South welcomes...............................6

A Christmas full of Food, Fun and Friendship! pages

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Anniversary celebrations!................. 5 & 6 Plus all your favourite Take 5 features and competitions

Welcome to Take 5 Happy New Year to everyone and welcome to Take 5 !

The last quarter of 2023 culminated in a warm and wonderful festive period with Food, Fun and Friendship truly at the HEART of Care South’s care homes and Care at Home offices.

We had a fun-packed December with the Care South Christmas Light Up, Elf Day raising money for Alzheimer’s Society, Christmas Jumper Day, the AFC Bournemouth Christmas Coffee Morning, as well as the online Christmas Party. Christmas Day was so special this year and I know that Care South staff welcomed more families into our homes on the big day than ever before, to have lunch with their loved ones. Thank you for your part in making that happen.

The online Christmas Party was also our opportunity to thank you for all your hard work throughout 2023 and a chance for our Chairman (Chris Kean), myself, Phil Smith (our Director of Residential Care) and Martin Ross (our Director of Care at Home) to show our appreciation for you all. Hopefully, fun was had by all as we announced the winner of our inter-home Christmas Carol competition and watched Martin and Phil draw the top ten winners of the all-staff Christmas raffle. The image of Martin and Phil in fancy dress as an elf and a fairy is one that haunted me all Christmas!

I was lucky enough to visit quite a number of our homes and offices in the run up to Christmas, and it was so good to see the really positive and engaging atmospheres that you created in all our services, homes and offices. Thank you! This was also something that our Trustee Directors commented on when they recently visited our services too.

It is so important that we continue to make Care South a happy and progressive place to work as there are still such recruitment and retention challenges in our sector. Your welcome and support for new colleagues makes such a difference. We know from our numerous long service awards just how many people love what they do and where they do it... at Care South!

I was really pleased to see the results of the autumn staff surveys in both residential care and Care at Home, which were overwhelmingly positive.

We held a Staff Association meeting in November and you should have already received feedback from the meeting from your Staff Reps. The Staff Association is such a good way of providing two-way feedback across the organisation – please make sure you take full advantage of it.

You have all been amazing at encouraging residents and relatives to rate us on carehome.co.uk, and they are telling us that they so pleased and grateful for everything that you all do. Well done! These accolades have meant that we are yet again well placed to be awarded a Top 20 Care Home Group amongst all providers in the UK. We need to keep these positive reviews coming!

We continue to invest in all our services, old and new and construction of our latest new care home, Marjorie House, is progressing well and remains on track for completion in late summer this year.

As ever, our HEART Values remain incredibly important to us all throughout the organisation, and I know those values are an ever present in all your hard work to keep residents in our care, Care at Home clients and each other safe.

Thank you.

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Simon Bird, Chief Executive

Festive fun at the AFC Bournemouth Christmas Coffee Morning Residents from 10 of our homes enjoyed a host of festive entertainment during a special Christmas coffee morning at AFC Bournemouth’s Vitality Stadium.

The coffee morning is a highlight of the year for residents, who enjoyed hot drinks and mince pies while listening to live music. The oldest resident in attendance was 103-year-old Horace, who had travelled with the team and fellow residents from Fern Brook Lodge.

Simon Bird said: “It was wonderful to see so many residents getting together to have a laugh, a sing and a dance. It was lovely to see the smiles on their faces as they sang and swayed along to the music.

Looking out across the room at the event, it was easy to see why this is such a good partnership for us, as the AFC Bournemouth team bring so much happiness and joy to everyone.”

A Moment with Maggie I hope you all had an enjoyable festive period with family and friends, and that you were able to use your £30 Christmas voucher for either festive food, Christmas gifts or by spoiling yourself in the New Year sales!

Since we last caught up, we have continued with our learning and development initiatives; ‘Lead to Succeed’, as well as introducing the Skills for Care ‘Well Led’ programme.

Birthday dream comes true for Eileen!

Eileen Pickering, a resident at Alexandra House, recently celebrated her 102nd birthday with an enchanting ice rink experience at the BH Live Cool Coast Ice Rink.

Eileen’s journey back onto the ice has rekindled fond memories from her childhood in London. She was a keen skater in her youth but her hobby was put on hold when her parents relocated the family to West Moors in the 1950s, where the absence of an ice rink left her unable to continue her beloved past-time.

Eileen’s admiration for the art of ice skating endured through the years, fueled by her enthusiasm for watching legends like Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean.

For her 102nd birthday, she received a thoughtful gift from the staff at Alexandra House, a DVD of Torvill and Dean’s performances, allowing her to relive the magic whenever she wants.

Eileen’s dream of being on the ice again became the focal point for her recent birthday celebrations.

Alexandra House organised a special experience at the BH Live Cool Coast Ice Rink, where Eileen was surrounded by loved ones and well-wishers to create new memories.

Nicola Bleach, Activities Lead at Alexandra House, said: “Witnessing Eileen being back on the ice was a truly heartwarming experience. Eileen’s joy was infectious, and it highlighted the power of fulfilling dreams, no matter your age. We are committed to creating moments that really matter, and seeing Eileen rediscover the magic of her passion demonstrates the essence of enriching lives through thoughtful and personalised care.”

Eileen added: “I never thought I would get the chance to be on the ice again. It feels like a dream come true, and I’m incredibly thankful to Nicola and the rest of the Care South team for making this happen.”

To address specific business needs across Care at Home and residential care, and in addition to mandatory training, we now provide various supplementary training solutions online including Multiple Sclerosis training, Parkinson’s Disease training, Oliver McGowan Learning Disability and Autism training, as well as numerous healthcare related training, such as ‘skin integrity’, ‘contractures’ etc., to help when caring for all our service users.

There have also been some small changes in the HR and Learning & Development teams. In October, we welcomed Sian Morris and Debbie Fleming to the Learning and Development team and in December, Emma Groves (previously Head of Recruitment) was promoted to the role of Head of HR and Training (maintaining her recruitment responsibilities).

Finally, as we enter a new year, it is a good time to remind everyone that safety and care for residents, clients and each other is our number one priority. If something is troubling you, please share your concerns with your line Manager.

Ongoing concerns can be escalated to the Regional Operations Manager, a Director or the Chief Executive. For alternative escalation, please see page 13 for more details.

Maggie

Maggie Searle, Director of HR and Training

Anagram Corner Can you untangle these tricky anagrams?

All these words can be found on the pages of this issue of Take 5. The first five correct entries drawn out of the hat will all receive £30.

HEXSOOB RADHIBTY TADMEENI R ACE HOCC A LECENLEXEC HOTYOGHRAPP

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Update from Care South at Home I hope that you had a lovely Christmas and Happy New Year.

It was great to see Care South at Home clients, Assisted Living residents and colleagues involved in our Christmas celebrations and activities. I have seen some wonderful photographs and have been involved in National Elf Day, the AFC Bournemouth coffee morning, the Christmas choir, Kenwith Gardens and Meadows golf buggy sleigh ride and the Beauchamp Gardens Christmas party in the Pavilion. Many of you will have been involved in the delivery of Christmas hampers to our clients which were kindly funded by the Chairman’s 2020 Fund – an example of something that we don’t have to do, but chose to do.

The feedback from our annual client survey was generally very positive and we received some heart-warming testimonials.

The main areas for improvement for some clients were about continuity of staff and visit times and, in the spirit of continuous learning and improvement, we have included specific actions in our service improvement plans and written to clients with the results.

In the last month, we have welcomed Simon Bird and some of our Trustees to the Care South at Home offices, where they met colleagues and were impressed by the level of dedication, expertise, and application. It was also our pleasure to present several long service awards – most notably, Sarah Broom’s very special 30-year award (see page 7)!

With Bex on maternity leave, Rahul and I continue to work across the offices. We really enjoy meeting staff at coffee mornings and new staff in induction training – for me, it is so important to hear feedback straight from our frontline colleagues. We look forward to reviewing the developments in PASS roster in January and if they meet our requirements, we will roll this out in the first half of 2024. It will see an all-in-one rostering and care planning system – something we all want.

2023 saw Care South at Home take important positive steps towards modernisation and consistent compliance, but we have also seen challenging changes in provider markets and local authority funding. We look forward to meeting the challenges in 2024, adapting our approach to attract even more private clients and new staff. We will also remain focused on continuing to deliver flexible and super responsive hospital discharge, reablement and admission avoidance services across our areas, which is so vital to the NHS and local communities.

Take care and keep on doing a really great job.

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Ma rtin

Martin Ross, Director of Care South at Home

The Memory Box Foundation at Castle Dene Castle Dene has been working with the Memory Box Foundation to create a specially-designed reminiscence garden.

The garden features have been carefully designed to trigger memories as part of reminiscence therapy, a dementia care initiative that aims to stimulate mental activity and improve wellbeing. With wind chimes made from kitchen implements, vintage teapots pouring eye-catching crystals, a bus stop, and chamber pot planters, the gardens encourage residents to reminisce and start conversations.

In addition to reminiscence objects, the gardens were given a refresh with multi-sensory, colourful, tactile plants and herb gardens, creating a calming atmosphere.

The project, funded by the High Sheriff of Dorset and Nature Heals Seed Fund, was part of an intergenerational project with young people from the local Townsend Youth Club, who helped with the installations.

The Memory Box Foundation is the charity behind the Inside Out garden project. The Memory Box was set up in 2021, with aims to support those living with dementia, mental health issues and those affected by loneliness and isolation.

To find out more, visit thememoryboxfoundation.co.uk

Update from Phil Smith, Director of Residential Care Happy New Year to you all! I hope everyone had an enjoyable and restful holiday period!

Brightening spirits Care South helps illuminate Lewis-Manning Hospice Care’s ‘Candles on the Green’.

We were honoured to play a significant role in supporting Lewis-Manning Hospice Care’s moving event, ‘Candles on the Green’, in Wimborne on Saturday 18 November.

Local choirs, the soulful melodies of The Salvation Army band, and a magical display of lights on the Minster Green gave a seasonal flavour to the event, which brought to a beautiful close to this year’s ‘Candles in the Community’ series of events.

Simon Bird said: “Being a charity partner of Lewis-Manning Hospice Care, we are pleased to contribute to this meaningful event, engaging our team, residents, and their families in various capacities. ‘Candles on the Green’ was a wonderful occasion, giving individuals the chance to commemorate their loved ones in a very special way.

The strong partnership between Care South and Lewis-Manning Hospice Care reflects our shared commitment to assisting the people in our community.”

The new year brings a busy time for us all. We, at Care South, as with everyone else in the care sector, are embarking on the biggest change to how the Care Quality Commission (CQC) assess and rate how we are doing over the last ten years. The single assessment framework has launched and your next home inspection by CQC will follow the new format. Your Home Manager can give you the details of what is changing, but it is key to remember the way you deliver and record great care, and you should be rightly proud of what you do.

After the great response to the team member survey (you should all now see “You said, We did “posters in your home), we will be launching the resident and family member survey at the end of January. Please encourage both residents and relatives to complete the survey, as feedback is critical in improving what we do.

I look forward to seeing you all in our homes, and as always, thank you for what you do every day for residents in our care.

Phil

We look forward to continuing to support meaningful events that bring our community together in times of reflection and celebration.

Alison celebrates 35 years at Maiden Castle House Alison Cassidy, a housekeeper at Maiden Castle House, has been celebrating an incredible 35 years of service.

She has been an invaluable member of the team, witnessing the growth and transformation of Maiden Castle House.

In celebration of this marvellous milestone, Alison said: “I am absolutely thrilled to be celebrating 35 years with Care South.

It’s been an amazing journey – the support from my colleagues and the wonderful atmosphere at Maiden Castle House have made every day a joy.”

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Care South welcomes...

Alan Walker, Design Manager Alan Walker, a seasoned Design Manager with over a decade of industry experience, has joined Care South.

Alan’s impressive background includes notable stints at FJB Hotels, The Tank Museum, and Christchurch and East Dorset Councils.

Starting his career as a care assistant, Alan’s journey into design reflects his diverse skill set and commitment.

Caitlin Holman, PR Manager Caitlin Holman joins Care South as PR Manager, bringing a wealth of experience and enthusiasm, having spent the last three years in the care home and retirement living sector.

Prior to that, Caitlin honed her storytelling skills during a seven-year stint as a reporter for the Bournemouth Echo and later working for a PR agency.

She is excited about the incredible variety of events and activities that residents enjoy and highlighting the exceptional work at Care South.

Kevin celebrates promotion to Maintenance Officer Kevin Pote has joined the team at Castle Dene as Maintenance Officer, playing an integral role in maintaining the safety and compliance of the home.

Having joined Care South in November 2010 as a housekeeper, Kevin’s journey evolved as he demonstrated a strong interest in maintenance, offering valuable assistance to the Maintenance Officer at Wickmeads.

Seizing the opportunity, Kevin made a move to Castle Dene when the full-time Maintenance Officer role became available. Kevin is excited about working with a new team, with a focus on fostering a safe and happy environment for residents.

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Excited to dive into new design projects, Alan looks forward to integrating with the Care South team.

Sian’s commitment to excellence as Learning and Development Advisor We are delighted to introduce Sian Morris, our newly-appointed Learning and Development Advisor, whose passion for training and two decades of experience in the care sector make her an invaluable addition to our team.

Su joins Head Office as Sales Ledger Assistant Su Schwarzin brings her expertise to the role of Sales Ledger Assistant, where she is dedicated to managing and updating resident accounts.

With a keen eye for detail and a commitment to accuracy, Su ensures the smooth flow of financial transactions, working alongside our homes and residents’ representatives.

Anniversary celebrations!

In this issue of Take 5 we are celebrating even more fantastic anniversaries. We want to extend our thanks to each and every one of you!

Celebrating 10 years are: Georgia Campbell, Elizabeth House Andrea Varcoe, Care at Home Crewkerne Judy Goode, Beauchamp House

Meet our new HR Business Partner Stephanie Thurston joins us as our newly appointed HR Business Partner, bringing an impressive 15 years of HR expertise, with the last seven dedicated to the care sector.

In her new role, Stephanie will be instrumental in providing operational and strategic HR guidance, collaborating with Managers, and developing innovative HR solutions.

Tracey Walker, Wickmeads Donna Wesson, Talbot View Linda Church, Elizabeth House Ray Foster, Buxton House Chris Hayes, Talbot View Lisa Ryan, Care at Home Bath Ben Jablonski, Maiden Castle House Lisa Flanders, Alexandra House

Celebrating 15 years are: Kerry Muckersie, Beauchamp House Elaine Sharman, Dorset House Lyn Parsey, Dorset House Alison Dunford, Care at Home Bath Pat Eyres, Elizabeth House Emily Clark, Wickmeads

Celebrating 20 years are: Mick Bircham, Head Office Paul Reckin, Talbot View

Sarah celebrates 30 years with Care South at Home

Maureen Clark, Elizabeth House Alison Cherry, Care at Home Crewkerne Kelly White, Elizabeth House

Sarah Broom, who leads the team in the Care South at Home Somerset office in Crewkerne, was joined by her colleagues to celebrate 30 years of working for the company, including Simon Bird, Chief Executive, and Martin Ross, Director of Care at Home.

Celebrating 25 years are:

Sarah was thrilled to be presented with a bouquet of flowers and a card to thank her for her service.

Jo Kitto, Kenwith Castle

Sarah said: “I have had an incredible experience working for Care South and I am so proud of all the staff I have worked with and continue to work with. Many members of the team have been working for Care South for almost as long as I have, and I think that highlights how much of an enjoyable place this is to work. I look forward to supporting the team for many years to come.”

Maria Long, Dorset House Lucy Prior, Buxton House Linda Huntley, Dorset House

Celebrating 30 years is: Sarah Broom, Care at Home Crewkerne

Celebrating 35 years is: Alison Cassidy, Maiden Castle House

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A Christmas full of

At Beauchamp House, the delightful Residents at Castle Dene started their voices of Hatch Beauchamp Primary Christmas baking tradition early – mixing School children filled the home with carols. their Christmas cakes in October.

All the generations joined in the party at Kenwith Castle for the big Christmas lights switch on.

Talbot View had a fantastic Christmas with the home full of laughter and happiness.

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Jingling bells and joyful tunes filled Alexandra House as they celebrated Alzheimer’s Society Elf Day.

At Sussexdown, the Christmas Fayre, supported by Friends of Sussexdown, included some magnificent raffle prizes.

Fern Brook Lodge was filled with festive harmony as the Gillingham School Orchestra serenaded residents with beautiful carols.

Fremington Manor’s Christmas Fayre was a jolly affair, filled with excitement with residents showcasing their handmade treasures.

Food, Fun and Friendship

At Kenwith Castle Gardens, the Care South at Home team delivered Christmas cheer to residents in a specially adapted golf buggy sleigh!

The Christmas Fayre at Dorset House included the annual Great Dorset House Festive bake-off competition with volunteer, Shirley, taking home the apron this time.

The residents of Wickmeads had a fantastic time in the winter wonderland at Stewarts Garden Centre, Christchurch.

Care South at Home teams prepared beautiful gift bags and hampers for clients, funded by the Chairman’s 2020 Fund.

At Buxton House, Santa (played by a resident, who thoroughly enjoyed himself) visited the Christmas Fayre.

St Ives House residents had a memorable, fun-filled pre-Christmas outing to Poole Lighthouse for this year’s panto, ‘Aladdin’.

At Maiden Castle House, the festive spirit soared as residents baked delicious mince pies while reminiscing cherished tales of Christmas traditions.

Fairlawn sparkled with joy as Tickled Pink Productions put on a festive show that had residents absolutely enchanted.

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2023 – celebrating a year We want to extend a heartfelt thank you to all of you for making last year truly exceptional at Care South.

Your unwavering dedication to going above and beyond for residents and Care at Home clients has created a vibrant and enriching environment for everyone. Thank you for your tireless efforts and continuous support, making 2023 a year filled with Food, Fun, Friendship and memorable moments!

Here are just a selection of our highlights from 2023 – scan the QR code to watch the full video!

We celebrated being awarded one of the Top 20 Care Home Groups for the third consecutive year by carehome.co.uk.

Our partnership with the AFC Bournemouth Community Sports Trust goes from strength to strength – and we have committed to work with the Trust for a further three seasons.

The Dementia Care Coach programme has been a real success and we are looking forward to presenting even more team members with this fantastic accolade over the coming months.

Martin Ross, Director of Care South at Home, was invited to a special event at 10 Downing Street, celebrating the outstanding work and excellent care that is provided by home care in our communities.

As we continued to invest in our property portfolio, construction work started on Marjorie House, our fantastic new care home in Lilliput, Poole. We also successfully completed rennovations at Beauchamp House, Elizabeth House and Fern Brook Lodge.

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of excellence

In May, our homes and offices hung out the Care South bunting for the Coronation of our new King, Charles III.

Your fantastic achievements took centre stage and we enjoyed being able to once again host our Stars Awards ceremony live!

© Paul Collins

Our partnership with Lewis-Manning Hospice Care has seen some wonderful events for us to share in, including the Muddy Dog Dash in Upton Country Park, attended by Dorset House.

We celebrated many amazing long service awards last year, but perhaps deserving of a special mention is Ita Graven, who, at aged 80, has worked for Care South for 48 years!

In north Devon, we launched the stunning new Kenwith Pavilion Pantry and Lounge, open for the enjoyment of residents and guests at Kenwith Castle, Kenwith Gardens and the new Kenwith Meadows.

Our charity fundraising activities have been second-to-none in the past year – including our outstanding Chairman’s 2020 Fund. At Talbot View, staff and residents walked one million steps and raised £500 for Dementia UK.

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100 years of Disney at Buxton House Staff and residents at Buxton House marked a century of Disney magic with a Snow White-themed extravaganza, A Bug’s Life spectacle and an enchanting finale, inspired by Lewis Carroll’s timeless classic, Alice in Wonderland.

Castle Dene hosts ‘Through the Ages’ fashion show for BBC Children in Need

Residents, families, and staff gathered for three days of excitement, laughter, and joyful nostalgia.

Residents from Castle Dene dazzled guests with a captivating ‘Through the Ages’ fashion show on Friday 17 November, raising funds for BBC Children in Need.

The event appeared on BBC South Today, with Care South at Home Bournemouth also in attendance.

The last day culminated in a Mad Hatter’s tea party, where everyone came together to revel in the magic of Disney’s legacy. The event was a visual feast, with an array of elaborate costumes that paid tribute to iconic Disney characters.

The show featured a splendid array of outfits spanning 100 years of style, from the glamorous 1920s to the chic 2020s, offering a fascinating journey through the evolution of fashion.

This unique event was designed to bridge the generation gap, captivating the imagination of both young and old alike.

Laughter echoed through the home as everyone joined in singing along to cherished Disney songs, rekindling many fond memories.

Judith, a resident at Castle Dene, said: “I loved every moment of the fashion show, seeing how fashion has evolved over the years. The Pudsey cakes that were made for the event added a delightful touch, making the event even more memorable and heartwarming. It was a wonderful occasion to enjoy with my fellow residents and guests.”

Dorset House spreads holiday cheer through the Samaritan’s Purse Shoebox Appeal Dorset House residents undertook a heartwarming initiative to contribute to the Samaritan’s Purse Shoebox Appeal, creating five thoughtfully curated shoeboxes filled with gifts for less fortunate children.

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Driven by a deep sense of compassion, the residents joined forces to make a difference to the lives of children who may not be as fortunate during the holiday season. The project was met with enthusiasm and excitement as residents worked in pairs, carefully selecting and wrapping items for the shoeboxes. The residents approached the activity with a shared goal of bringing smiles to the faces of the children receiving the gifts.

Take 5 photography competition This issue’s photo competition winner is Tom Buxton from Head Office with this lovely shot of an ‘autumnal butterfly’.

Congratulations Tom – you have won £50!

We look forward to seeing your shots for our next issue. Please remember to send us high-res images – if sending from your phone use one of the highest settings.

Send your entries to take5@mckennatownsend.com

Take5 quiz time!

Fancy winning £30? Be one of the first 10 to enter to be drawn out of a hat by simply answering the ten seasonal questions below and send your answers to take5@mckennatownsend.com

WANT TO

TALK ABOUT IT?

Whistleblowing policy: Important reminder to all – care and safety is our utmost priority If something is troubling you in your workplace you should share your concerns with your manager – and if for whatever reason you are not comfortable doing so, refer to our whistleblowing policy. If you feel uncomfortable speaking with someone then we have a dedicated email address which is whistleblowing@care-south.co.uk.

Full details of the type of concern that you could be raising are shown on our Whistleblowing Policy which is available on Radar, or for you on the Policies tablets in every staff room.

1.

What plant with red berries and glossy leaves is often used as a decorative element during the winter holidays?

2.

What do people commonly wear on their hands to keep warm during the winter months?

3.

What Olympic sport involves gliding on ice in special shoes fitted with blades?

4.

What bird is often associated with winter and is known for its distinctive red breast?

5.

What is the name of the weather condition where small, white ice crystals fall from the sky and accumulate on the ground?

6.

What popular dessert is often enjoyed during the festive season and consists of a pastry case filled with mincemeat?

7.

What large white bear lives in the Arctic and is known for its excellent swimming abilities?

8.

What is the term for a personal goal or promise that individuals set themselves at the beginning of the year?

9.

In the Chinese zodiac, 2024 marks the year of which mythical animal?

10. What slow-cooked dish, often made with beef or lamb, vegetables, and broth, is a comforting winter meal?

Closing date is 18 March 2024 and the winner, plus the correct answers, will be in the next issue.

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Take 5

minutes with Emily Spencer, Head Chef at St Ives House What are some of the residents’ favourite dishes?

St Ives House residents really enjoy traditional home-cooked meals, with roast dinners and fish and chips taking the crown as the ultimate favourites.

You’ve been with Care South for a number of years now, what have been some of your career highlights?

I would say some of my highlights with Care South include crafting a life-sized dog cake for a St Ives House event in 2018. Another cherished memory was orchestrating the VE day street party at Alexandra House in 2020, where themed cakes, dishes, and menus that looked like ration books all helped with a fantastic nostalgic celebration.

What do you love most about your job?

The true heart of my job lies in the joy I bring to residents.

There’s a real reward in knowing that a well-enjoyed meal or a specially crafted birthday cake can make their day a bit brighter. It’s the smiles and satisfaction that make every culinary endeavour worthwhile.

Any top tips on running a busy kitchen and catering for everyone’s needs in the home?

In the hustle and bustle of a busy kitchen, organisation is key to success. Working seamlessly as a team ensures the smooth flow of operations, and most importantly, listening to our residents’ feedback. Their insights guide us in meeting their needs and making each dining experience a personalised one.

Emily’s chocolate chip cookies Ingredients: 290g self-raising flour 1tsp bicarbonate of soda 170g melted butter 150g light brown sugar 100g caster sugar 1 whole egg 1 egg yolk 2tsp vanilla 250g chocolate chips Method: 1. Sift the flour and the bicarbonate of soda into a bowl 2. In a separate bowl add the butter, light brown sugar and caster sugar and lightly whisk to combine 3. Next, add the whole egg, egg yolk and vanilla to the sugar mix and lightly whisk to combine 4. Now add the flour to the rest of the mix and gently fold in with a spoon until combined 5. Once combined, add the chocolate chips and continue to fold in until evenly mixed 6. Now roll the dough into even sized balls. Once rolled out, place in the fridge to chill 7. Evenly space the cookie dough out on a tray and bake at 160 degrees Celsius for 12-13 minutes 8. The cookies will still be soft once removed from oven; leave to cool

A big thank you to ALL our catering teams The tinsel may have been packed away, but the echoes of a vibrant and joyous Christmas linger in our homes thanks to the work of our dedicated culinary teams.

As we bid farewell to the festive whirlwind, we take a moment to savour the memories of a season filled with hard work, laughter, and the unmistakable magic created in all our homes. From crafting elaborate Christmas menus and welcoming family and friends, to executing seamless culinary events, our kitchen teams worked tirelessly to ensure that every resident experienced the warmth and joy of the season. It was a busy yet fulfilling time that showcased their dedication and passion.

We would like to extend our heartfelt appreciation to our exceptional kitchen teams. Their hard work, creativity, and dedication ensured that the holiday spirit permeated every corner of our homes. As we step into a new year, we carry the warmth of these festive memories, grateful for the joy our Chefs have stirred into the hearts of residents and their family and friends.

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Thanks to you all for a Christmas season that will no doubt be cherished in everyone’s hearts for years to come!

Take 5 WordSearch Try this WordSearch for a little brain-teasing fun!

All the words below are hidden in the grid...

SKATING

POLAR

CHOIR

RESOLUTION

WARMTH

GLOVES

PERFORMANCE

STORIES

NOSTALGIA

LEGACY

FASHION

DISNEY

MEMORY

FEAST

SHOE

DRAGON

GARDEN

CREATE

FOUNDATION

Q R E S O L U T I O N W W E R I O H C R T D Y U I O P L K J H G F D S A Z X C V M J I Y F D E S F G H V G L O V E S B H P O G S D F G V E S D R W R Y G H U G N M N B K N V C F A S H I O N C D S Z A G Q S A A X E F R S T G H Y U J H F E R X N B V T R E Y S T V D R A G O N B V D W R F G I H J U Y G F D E R Y U J G V E S Q W E N D F G H Y R F C G W B H Y D N A W F D G X D G J M N J O F W A S F H J U A N H T F D S E E F R T U B H R D E A Z I M K S B H T D M S D R Y N G H M V G N G R E E Q R S H O E Q D G C D D W T A F L M N I V C X Z R A S D F G H A Y T H Q A E W R Q W R T Y F H J U Y T F T N J G T Q W O D G J V C Y C R E A T E U I D V S B N T F G T F D S W T H J K I U F O M O A Q S D P E R F O R M A N C E T Y U N N Q W E R T Y U I O P L K J G F S E F G B G D G L E G A C Y U Y R A L O P D Z Y

Take 5 winners 5-star excellence at St Ives House!

In a resounding testament to our unwavering commitment to excellence, St Ives House has achieved the prestigious 5-Star Food Hygiene Certificate, setting the gold standard for culinary hygiene and safety.

This accomplishment, however, is not a singular triumph; it marks a collective success story as all our 15 homes have attained this distinguished recognition.

St Ives House has always been at the forefront of delivering top-notch care and achieving a 5-Star Food Hygiene Certificate is a shining example of its commitment to excellence which we see across all our homes. With meticulous attention to detail, our teams have worked tirelessly to ensure that every home meets the stringent criteria for a 5-Star Food Hygiene Certificate. It’s not just a stamp of approval; it’s a promise to residents and their families that their well-being is our top priority.

Well done and keep up the good work!

Congratulations to all our winners from the autumn issue of Take 5 !

Our quiz winner was Emma Bennett from Elizabeth House, who will receive £30.

Tanisha Law from Kenwith Castle, Sarah Cornick from Castle Dene, Danny Payne from St Ives House, Penelope Honnor from Buxton House and Leanne Pearce from Fern Brook Lodge correctly spotted the differences and will receive £30.

The spot the object was guessed by Tom Buxton at Head Office, Lauren Taylor from Buxton House, Nicola Bleach from Alexandra House, Jimmy Richardson from Talbot View and Karen Andrews from Fern Brook Lodge. Congratulations, you will all receive £30.

Those that successfully unscrambled the anagrams and will be treated with £30 are Sara Carlton from St Ives House, Bill Elliot from Alexandra House, Sally Mayo-Smith from Care at Home Somerset & West Dorset, Karen Nichols from Castle Dene and Sally Howard from Dorset House. Well done everyone!

Autumn issue quiz answers: The answers for the quiz in our autumn issue of Take 5 were: 1. Back 2. 1605 3. November 4. Deciduous 5. Harvest 6. March 7. Munich 8. Fall 9. Hoglet 10. Swallow.

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Take 5 spot the difference We have five prizes of £30 each to give away!

All you need to do for a chance of winning is identify the eight differences between these two photographs from the fun-filled Elf Day at Buxton House.

Send your answers to take5@mckennatownsend.com

As a group, Care South collectively raised over £1,200 for Alzheimer’s Society with our Elf Day activities – an impressive achievement and a massive thank you to everyone who took part!

Simon Bird said: “Seeing all our homes actively involved continues to exemplify our dedication to enriching lives, fostering community spirit, and making a positive impact through creative and fun initiatives.”

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D AR AW

Spot the object

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We’ve zoomed in on this strange seasonal object – can you identify it?

Send your answer to take5@mckennatownsend.com – the first five correct entries selected from the hat will each win £30.

Remember to keep up the great work with your reviews on carehome.co.uk!

The 2024 Awards close on 31 January and we are looking forward to retaining our Top 20 position for the fourth year running!

Take 5 competition entries

Tell us what you think!

Send your entries for all our Take 5 competitions to take5@mckennatownsend.com Closing date for all the competitions in this issue is 18 March 2024 – and all the lucky winners will be listed in the next edition of Take 5. Good luck everyone!

We’d love to hear your feedback on Take 5 !

Is there something you’d like to see in the next issue, or do you have any news that you’d love to see featured?

Get in touch by emailing take5@mckennatownsend.com

Head Office | 39 Commercial Road | Poole | Dorset | BH14 0HU 01202 712400 | info@care-south.co.uk

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