Christmas Eve

A Special Visitor arrives at supper time 

       
 

 



 

Monday 15th December

This afternoon we had a visit from Sharnbrook's Learning for Pleasure choir, who sang a selection of Christmas songs old and new. Because Sharnbrook village has a great community spirit, some of the choir are 'the usual suspects', our volunteers and tea ladies, who seem to be involved with everything!

An enthusiastic attendance from the choir meant that we could not fit all the singers in the room, so we had a vertical arrangement of voices going up the stairs. Afterwards we shared mince pies and the inevitable sherry. 

  

Most of the singers are from the village, so many residents had a chance to catch up with old friends. 

The room was full of chatter and laughter, and really made us feel the festive season has started. One of the choir took me aside and confided, 'I worked here for twelve years before I retired, I love coming back, it's like a big warm comfort blanket.'

Pop-Up Christmas Tea Shop

On 5th December, we duly opened for business at the Christmas Fair.  The garden room was decorated cosily, and the kitchen supplemented our gingerbread efforts by providing a magnificent selection of cakes....

Paper cups were provided for takeaway tea. It was a cold evening, and people welcomed a warming cuppa!

Team Dorothy, our Yorkshire and Lancashire roses manned the counter.to start with, while other residents selflessly volunteered to sample the produce and do the socialising.

Helen and volunteer Lucy took the later shift on the till.

Gingerbread stars

In preparation for Friday, we made and iced gingerbread stars in our baking session on Thursday afternoon.

Christmas preparations and all that.....

On the first Friday of December, Sharnbrook village has its Christmas fair, and the Christmas lights are switched on.  We decided to open to serve tea and cake, and started shopping for Christmas decorations.  The front door onto the street needs a large Christmas garland, so we had to construct our own, as the ready made ones weren't big enough.

Marion at Milton Ernest with assorted Christmas greenery.

 

Sharon and Dorothy making orange and clove pomanders for the door decoratiion

Sherry and Tapas

28th November
Once a month or so, we like to have some evening entertainment, so Julie the catering manager suggested a Spanish themed evening, with sherry and tapas. She provided a delicious variety of hot and cold snacks, including patatas bravas, Serrano ham, chorizo and manchego cheese.  We had Spanish guitar music playing to add to the atmosphere.  Residents enjoyed the change to the menu, although the soundtrack met with a mixed reception!

Inter home Quiz - Tickford Abbey Away

Friday 21st November

A couple of months ago, the activities coordinator at Tickford Abbey suggested we could try a joint quiz, between Sharnbrook and Tickford. We decided that Sharnbrook would be 'away' first. After a preliminary fact finding visit, (mainly to check out the standard of the cakes), a date was chosen, and a team mustered.

Four residents and three staff went to Tickford. Teams enjoyed the challenge of a variety of subjects, including a picture quiz of London landmarks, a 'What's that pong?' round, where they had to identify herbs and spices, and an A-Z round.  Tragically, Tickford won, and we had to leave the challenge shield behind.  However, we look forward to a return match in the New Year, when honour shall be restored, (hopefully.)  Thanks are due to Sharon and Stacey for helping on the day, and making the trip possible.

Pamper Day 18th November

One of the many useful things about belonging to the Greensleeves Homes Trust is that sometimes we have joint training days with other homes in the group, and a chance to share ideas and experiences. One of the homes, Spiers House, recently did a photo shoot based on movie icons, producing some wonderful black and white photos inspired by film stills. We decided to copy this idea shamelessly, organising a pamper day with beauticians and a professional photographer, so that we can have a photo gallery of residents in one of the shared spaces in the home.

         

Residents always enjoy hairdressing, but today they also had a chance to have nails and make-up done, as Stacey set up a temporary salon opposite the hairdresser's.  Charlotte Damon, a beautician with a salon in the village also came in to do manicures.

 

Some residents had families visiting when we had the photoshoot,so they starred in our pictures too.

 

Meeting a new great-granddaughter

 

All that posing is thirsty work you know!

 

 

Cheers!