We have been enjoying a jam packed Summer of events.
The Great British Summer time
We have been out in our garden playing croquet on the lawn, with Pimms and strawberries and cream (well it was the Wimbledon fortnight!) and plenty of laughter. It was wonderful to see everyone relaxing, chatting, sharing smiles, and enjoying each others company. Of course, our amazing team couldn't resist joining in the fun too! And it was a lovely opportunity to congratulate to our fabulous Enya on achieving the NHS Leadership Academy Award in Healthcare Leadership. We are incredibly proud of her dedication, compassion, and commitment. She is an inspiration to us all.
We brought Barry Island to Newstead! With sand, shells, deck chairs, parasols, a paddling pool, and even a windbreak, we created our very own seaside experience. We were delighted to welcome the wonderful children from Busy Berries Nursery, who came along to join in the fun - they especially loved cooling off with all the super soakers! We had ice lollies and tucked into some absolutely delicious fish and chips from Credenhill Fish Bar. A fantastic day filled with laughter, sunshine, and making special memories together.
We have also enjoyed musical entertainment in the garden . The marvellous Mansel came to visit and serenaded us, filling the afternoon with music, laughter, and smiles. A huge thank you to the fabulous Diane, who treated us to the soothing sounds of her harp, creating such a peaceful and relaxing atmosphere. Then, the amazing Tracey had everyone singing along, clapping, and even getting us up off our benches for a dance!
The Herefordshire Motor Club
With beautiful weather and an amazing collection of stunning cars, our residents had a truly memorable day. They were in awe of the wonderful vehicles on display and loved chatting with their owners.
A very special thank you to Sue Underwood, whose organisation and hard work helped make this wonderful event happen. Thank you also to Ali S, Miha, Simona, Sindu, Skye, and Jinju for working tirelessly to help residents get outside to enjoy the event. The warm weather certainly kept them busy, and their care and dedication meant so much. Also a special shout-out goes to Paula, who wasn't even working but popped in for a look and ended up getting happily roped into helping! Thank you for always going the extra mile.
Our Summer Food Fayre
We Came, We Ate, We Fundraised!
On Saturday 8th August, 1:30 pm – 4:00 pm we hosted our Summer Food Fayre. Residents spent ages prepping for the day, shopping, wrapping raffle prizes, baking and running stalls. Our kitchen team baked up a storm with so many delicious homemade treats. We also enjoyed musical entertainment from The Gadzukes Ukulele players.
It was so lovely seeing residents, loved ones, friends and visitors popping in, chatting and enjoying the day together. The support you all gave us was truly outstanding, and we cannot thank you enough. A big thank you to everyone who donated prizes for our raffle. Your generosity was truly appreciated and helped make the day even more special. A huge shout-out to the amazing team who worked so hard on the day.
A special thank you to:
- Belinda, who came in on her day off — always happy to roll up her sleeves and help with anything!
- Zoli, for coming in on Saturday, making the garden look lovely and supporting the set-up.
- Archie and Kate’s sister Mandy, for manning the BBQ and helping us set up.
- Miha, for always being our right-hand lady and supporting the team.
- Steve, Jesse’s partner, for donating the ice cream and manning the stall.
- Kate, for getting stuck in and helping wherever needed.
- Jay-Jay, for being the absolute marvel that she is!
- Hayley, for baking those fabulous gluten-free lemon drizzles.
- Sophie, for always being chief in charge of the raffle tickets!
- Sandra, for helping to man the cake stall.
- Ruby, a special thank you to you too! This was your first ever major event at Newstead, and you did an amazing job getting stuck in and supporting the team. We are so pleased to have you as part of the Newstead family.
- Our amazing Care Team, Housekeeping Team and Kitchen Team for all your help and support on the day.
Most importantly, the day gave our residents purpose, joy and the opportunity to share, participate and entertain, and that is what makes events like this so worthwhile.
We raised a fantastic £686 for our Residents’ Fund, helping to fund outings, activities and those little extras that make such a difference to our residents lives.
A New Chapter at Newstead
After many years with us, our home manager Ali has decided that it’s time to retire, although she won’t be disappearing completely, as she’ll be working on a special project with Heritage. It’s a very bittersweet time for the Newstead family, as Ali has been such a special part of our home and our lives. We’ll let you know Ali’s last day once everything is confirmed.
In the meantime, we’re very excited to welcome Kate as our new home manager. Please come and join us on the afternoon of Monday 7th September from 2:30pm for cake, pastries and a chat, and to meet Kate and give her a warm Newstead welcome.
