Issue 74 15.09.21
The weekly online newsletter for the care sector
Thank you for the music ... Captain Michael Harrington in front of a Chipmunk aircraft
RAF pilot rekindles his fond flight memories FOND memories of life in the air, including hundreds of royal flights, were rekindled as a retired RAF pilot enjoyed a ‘spectacular’ day out at Dorset’s Compton Abbas Airfield. Captain Michael Harrington was on a trip from Colten Care’s Poundbury care home Castle View when he amazed his hosts by showing them logbooks from throughout his career. They document in detail his first flying school experiences right up to his years of service transporting members of the royal family around the UK and overseas. Companionship team leader Katja Williams, who accompanied Michael to Compton Abbas, said: “The flight controller and management were amazed that Michael held all of his logbooks. “They really welcomed him and
extended their gratitude to him for coming. And on our way home, Michael told me all about his favourite aircraft to master in the RAF, the Vulcan.” Altogether he completed 417 royal legs and nine full royal tours, with passengers including Her Majesty the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh, the Prince and Princess of Wales, and Princes William and Harry. As well as talking through entries in the logbooks with the flight controller and other managers at Compton Abbas, Michael was invited into the hangar to view a vintage Chipmunk, a plane he flew regularly in his early years of RAF service. From the 1950s to the 1970s the Chipmunk, or ‘Chippy’ as it was affectionately known, was the RAF’s primary training plane for air cadets.
The plane at Compton Abbas began its service in Edinburgh in 1952 and was put into storage when it finished its RAF life. It was later civilianised and rebuilt at the Duxford airfield in Cambridge in 2000. Another compelling draw for Michael was a yellow 1940s Boeing Stearman biplane, complete with open cockpit. The Stearman was initially a training aircraft for the US Army Air Force, US Navy and Royal Canadian Air Force. After World War II, thousands of surplus Stearmans were sold on the civilian market becoming popular as display aircraft at air shows and in agriculture as aerial cropdusters. An iconic movie image shows a Stearman cropduster chasing Cary Grant across a field in the 1959 Alfred Hitchcock spy thriller North by Northwest.
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MUSICIANS from the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra have played the final date on their ‘summer tour’ of care homes along the south coast, delighting residents at Colten Care’s Kingfishers in New Milton. And the visiting maestros even performed a special request for one surprised music lover at the Hampshire home. Overjoyed Geoff Lount was prompted to get up and dance on hearing the start of an orchestral take on ABBA’s Thank You for the Music which he had asked them to play. Companionship team member Sue Hawkins, who danced with Geoff, said: “Music brings such joy to our residents and there is nothing better than experiencing live music performed by professional players in your own garden.” As well as ABBA, French horn and piano player Kevin Pritchard and violinist Jennifer Curiel led their audience through a one-hour set that included popular pieces by Gershwin, Puccini, Scott Joplin and Debussy and tunes from famous musicals including Mary Poppins and The Sound of Music. Before the show at Kingfishers, Kevin and Jennifer performed summer BSO concerts at Colten Care’s Canford Chase in Poole and Fernhill in Longham.
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Andrew’s heart of gold inspires kindness award A FIFE man has been recognised by a leading housing provider for his hard work and dedication throughout the pandemic. Andrew Petrie, 50, has been presented with the ‘You Are One Of A Kind’ award by Bield Housing and Care after playing a major role in boosting staff and customer’s morale. Originally from Dunfermline, Andrew joined Bield eight years ago in 2013 as property management officer covering 29 developments across Fife, Edinburgh and West Lothian. He said: “Bield is a great company to work for as I enjoy helping others. In my role, I feel like I’m actually making a difference to someone’s life – which is extremely rewarding. “It was a pretty big surprise when I found out I’d been nominated for the award and an even bigger shock when I found out I won. “One of the development managers put a nomination through after the team and I had been out delivering PPE supplies. “It’s been lovely to hear positive comments from colleagues and customers about how I’ve boosted their spirits and listened to their concerns. I didn’t realise how important those
visits were for everyone until then. “The nomination entry really surprised me as it said visits to the development had made a big difference for the development managers which is just lovely to hear.” Running until next March, customers, owners, service users, staff and members of the local community will have the chance every month to nominate their local heroes or heroines who have gone out of their way to lend a helping hand. At the end of each month, a board of judges will select a Bield customer along with a Bield staff member or volunteer to receive the One of a Kind Award and a £50 voucher. Coleen Clark, business development officer at Bield, added: “Andrew is a great listener and his visits would always brighten up the day, not only for our customers but for staff too. “Andrew is a ray of positivity and has definitely brought a morale boost throughout his visits during what was a really difficult period for many people. “This award is the perfect way to make sure we appreciate all the little things that make a big difference to individuals and their communities.”
Residents love all that jazz! CARE home residents were treated to an exclusive music concert thanks to the Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival. With restrictions easing, Cramond Residence welcomed Jed Potts and Hilman Hunters to perform in the garden, while residents watched from the comfort of the home’s conservatory. The trio, inspired by 1950s and 1960s’ classic American blues, delivered a performance to residents at the Edinburgh home who enjoyed dancing the afternoon away. Fiona Alexander, chief organiser of the Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival, who facilitated the performance, said: “Care homes have had it very rough over the last 18 months, so to be able to liven up the residents’ afternoon and give them something to look forward to is very special. A big focus of this year’s festival has been to expand past our usual performances, and connect with new audiences,
hence the link up with Cramond Residence. “I can’t speak for the residents, but the band put on an excellent performance and everyone seemed to be thoroughly enjoying themselves.” Started in 1978, the Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival has provided a platform to showcase the very best Jazz and Blues artists from around the world and is one of the largest jazz festivals in Europe. The 2021 festival included a mixture of online and in person performances. Athena Liakeas, activities coordinator at Cramond Residence, added: “There is a host of positive mental, physical and social benefits that come from music. Despite all of our residents having varied tastes in music, the performance seemed to go down a treat and everyone had a great time. It definitely brightened up the afternoon.”
Walton HPC are pleased to announce the sale of Argyle Care Centre, Helensburgh. Established Care Home Business in Helensburgh, Scotland sold by Walton HPC The home comprises 56 bedrooms, with a good number having ensuite facilities with planning consent for 30 bedrooms, and located in the affluent town of Helensburgh. It was sold to a regional operator for an undisclosed sum. Willie Macdonald, Director on behalf of the vendors commented: ‘This is our fourth transaction with Gary and Walton HPC spanning over 15 years, and once again we were impressed with his skill, knowledge, and expertise with this transaction to help get the sale agreed and completed.’ Gary Walton, Director, Walton HPC and who handled the transaction commented: ‘I am particularly pleased to have the completed the sale on behalf of the vendors, during a period of uncertainty, however it is encouraging to see that the market is showing signs of robustness following the upheaval of Covid-19 from the evidence of activity we have seen in the last quarter. Enquiries are certainly up, there seems to be more buyers in the market with funding, and this has resulted in many of our transactions now in solicitors hands awaiting completion. Both my colleague Paul Burford and myself, would be delighted to discuss any possible opportunities with parties that are looking to transact either as buyers or sellers. ‘
england & wales: Paul Burford paul.burford@waltonhpc.com 01926 760 116 | 07808 764 748
SCOTland: Gary Walton gary.walton@waltonhpc.com 0141 378 1065 | 07554 009 244
www.waltonhpc.com
CARINGWEEKLY
Why Lisa just couldn’t keep away! RESIDENTS at a specialist dementia care home in Bridgwater, Somerset are benefitting from the focused attention of a new wellbeing co-ordinator who loves the home so much that after a short break working elsewhere she just couldn’t keep away. Lisa Priddice worked on the activities team and as a healthcare assistant at Avalon Nursing Home from 2015 to 2018 and then took a break during which she worked as an activity facilitator at Musgrove Hospital and had a baby. And now Lisa is back at Avalon in the newly-created role of wellbeing co-ordinator, bringing with her accumulated experience of what feeds into positive wellbeing thanks to her time working at Musgrove. She said: “Coming back to Avalon having worked on the elderly wards at Musgrove for two years, I’m now able to provide enhanced care to those residents who really need that extra support in order to live an enriched and fulfilling life. “I’m loving being back here and find it so fulfilling to support our residents in maintaining a healthy level of exercise, and a good diet through structured activity time. “Avalon’s wellbeing programme is all person-centred and specifically aimed at those who are showing a decline. “I work closely with the activities team and nurses to find fun and engaging activities involving food, drink and exercise because these are at the heart of our residents’ continued
wellbeing.” The wellbeing programme Lisa has developed for Avalon has both ‘active’ and ‘inactive’ threads. This means those residents who enjoy doing in activities are supported to do so, while ‘inactive participation’ – that is just observing and feeling part of an activity without actually doing it – is also encouraged. Lisa added: “Although a resident’s cognitive decline may mean they are no longer able to join in with an activity, that doesn’t necessarily mean there isn’t great enjoyment for them in being socially included as observers, and sometimes commentators. “One example is the weekly cooking sessions we have restarted, which are proving very popular, with residents included in the activity in various different ways. “Some have enjoyed making items such as cheese straws, tarts, Danish pastries and cakes. “Others prefer to focus on the prep and organsation of the activity, while there are those who prefer the cleaning up afterwards, whether that’s wiping tables or putting away the ingredients. “One of our gents likes to deliver the finished item to the chef in the kitchen. “Residents love to try different foods which are appealing to the eye. And it’s also rewarding for them to enjoy food they have prepared themselves and sit down with a nice cup of tea afterwards.”
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