Local Therapist Brings Mindfulness Through Art to Sundial Care Home

Painted pebbles, gold-leaf seashells and handmade surfboards have been taking shape at Sundial Care Home in Tipton St John, during a series of monthly Minds Matter art therapy sessions.

The sessions are led by local cognitive behavioural hypnotherapist Charlotte Allen, who primarily works with children but also brings her work into care home settings. Charlotte visits the residential care home near Sidmouth once a month with a different creative project for family members (residents) to try. Each session gives family members plenty of room to explore the materials in their own way, choosing the colours, shapes and designs that appeal to them without needing any previous art experience.

Recent sessions have followed a seaside theme, with family members decorating pebbles, making seaside pieces from air-dry clay and adding gold leaf to seashells. The finished pieces were then brought together in display frames, so each person’s creation became a part of something. Other sessions have included making glitter jars, which can be turned and watched as the glitter settles.

The creative sessions are as much about the process as the finished pieces, supporting fine motor skills, mindfulness and focus, while giving family members the opportunity to make their own creative choices and enjoy the social interaction that comes with making something together.

Charlotte Allen shared: “I try to make each session varied, interesting and easy for everyone to take part in. I enjoy seeing residents make their own choices about colours, shapes and designs, and the conversations that often come from a shared activity.”

Mindfulness can play a valuable part in supporting wellbeing within a care home. Moments that allow someone to feel settled and absorbed can ease restlessness and support emotional wellbeing, bringing a little more balance to the everyday.

The monthly sessions will continue at Sundial Care Home, with new materials and ideas giving family members something different to explore each time.

If you would like to learn more about Sundial Care Home, please visit: https://www.sundialcare.com/activities-in-care/

Pumpkins Take Over Victorian Castle as Watermouth Castle Launches Brand-New Autumn Event

For the first time this autumn, one of North Devon’s most unusual family attractions is set to turn orange as Watermouth Castle launches Pumpkins at the Castle – a brand-new family event for 2026.

Running from 26th September to 1st November, the Victorian castle and its grounds will undergo a spectacular autumn transformation, with thousands of pumpkins, pumpkin-lined walkways, seasonal photo installations, an autumn market, trick or treating and marshmallow toasting joining Watermouth’s much-loved rides, gardens, museums and attractions.

The new experience is included with general admission, giving families a full day to explore the Castle and enjoy its brand-new autumn additions along the way.

Follow the Pumpkins to the Castle

The autumn experience begins from the moment families make their way through the grounds, with walkways lined with hundreds of pumpkins leading towards the Castle Courtyard.

There, the Courtyard will be transformed into an autumn pumpkin market, with stalls piled high with pumpkins, squashes and gourds. Big ones, small ones, traditional orange pumpkins and weird and wonderful varieties will fill the stalls, giving families plenty to choose from when finding one to take home.

Pumpkins are purchased separately, so visitors can explore the displays throughout the day before choosing their favourite.

A Castle Transformed for Autumn

For the first time, seasonal pumpkin displays will pop up throughout the Castle grounds, turning familiar Watermouth locations into brand-new autumn photo spots.

Multiple installations are being created especially for the event, all set against the unusual backdrop of Watermouth Castle and the North Devon coast. Joined by the Castle’s gardens and pumpkin-lined pathways, they will bring a spectacular splash of autumn colour to the attraction throughout October.

Trick or Treat Around the Castle

On weekends and during the school holidays, younger visitors can set off on the 'Trick or Treat Trail' around the Castle grounds.

Children will follow the trail to find characters hiding along the way, collecting a treat at each stop before earning a final reward once they have completed their quest.

Made especially for younger children, the trail is designed to be fun rather than frightening and is included with day admission on selected dates.

Families can also gather around two roasting pits to toast marshmallows over the embers, available for an additional charge.

More Than Pumpkins

Unlike a traditional pumpkin patch, Pumpkins at the Castle forms part of a full day of adventure at Watermouth Castle.

A day ticket includes access to the Castle’s rides, gardens, museums, castle curiosities, play areas and dungeons, meaning the new seasonal experience becomes part of a full day out rather than a standalone pumpkin visit.

Visitors can wander through the water gardens, explore the Castle’s unusual collection of displays and curiosities, brave the dungeons and enjoy the family rides before returning to the Courtyard to pick a pumpkin on the way home.

For families travelling from further afield, Watermouth Castle’s apartments are located within the Castle itself, offering the chance to turn an autumn day out on the North Devon coast into an overnight stay.

With pumpkins around every corner, treats to collect, marshmallows to toast and a whole Victorian castle to explore, Watermouth is preparing for its biggest autumn transformation yet.

Pumpkins Take Over Watermouth Castle, Watermouth, Ilfracombe, North Devon, EX34 9SL
26th September to 1st November 2026

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CLICK HERE FOR TICKET INFORMATION & EARLY BIRD OFFERS (Pumpkins at the Castle is included with general admission).

About Watermouth Castle 

Devon Wildlife Trust & Moshulu announce partnership that gives back to wild spaces

Devon Wildlife Trust & Moshulu announce partnership, including a dedicated footwear collection that gives back to wild spaces

The two Devon-based organisations have launched a partnership to raise funds and awareness for wildlife conservation in the county. The newly launched Autumn/Winter range from Moshulu includes a limited-edition collection that is inspired by Devon’s wild and wonderful natural environment, with a proportion of those sales going directly to Devon Wildlife Trust’s work to protect local wildlife.

As well as fundraising for conservation projects, the partnership will also raise awareness of the unique wildlife species found in Devon, the threats they are facing, and how people can make a difference – whether at home, in their garden, or as a Devon Wildlife Trust member. With displays at Moshulu’s stores and online storytelling, customers will get the opportunity to explore the new collection and learn how their purchases will support local wildlife, including at the 60+ nature reserves that they can explore.

David Alder, Fundraising Manager at Devon Wildlife Trust, said:

“We are thrilled to partner with Moshulu, a significant national brand that is rooted in Devon and that shares our passion for the vibrant and varied wildlife that makes this area so special for all that live or visit here.”

Kate James, Brand and Marketing Director at Moshulu, said:

“We’re incredibly proud to partner with Devon Wildlife Trust on a collection inspired by the wild beauty right here on our doorstep. Together, we will celebrate our Devon home and its unique wildlife, while helping customers feel connected to the places and species their support helps protect.”

Photos taken at Devon Wildlife Trust’s Bystock Pools nature reserve

The collection is available online and in-store at Moshulu’s 18 locations nationwide, including in Dartmouth, Sidmouth, Totnes, and Topsham. 

View the collection at https://www.moshulu.co.uk/collections/devon-wildlife-trust

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    NB this is a media release from Devon Wildlife Trust and is not a sponsored post 

Sight Support Event Heads to Barnstaple

Are you based in North Devon? Are you, or is someone you know, living with a visual impairment? Devon in Sight, the county’s leading charity for those living with sight loss, has announced it will be bringing its popular ‘Living Well with Sight Loss’ event to The Roundswell Community Centre, Barnstaple.

The event, which runs from 09:30am until 2:30pm, serves as a one-stop shop for anyone affected by sight loss, their families, friends and carers. The aim of this event is to connect the community with the experts.

The Experts in Question

Attendees will have the opportunity to meet with a wide range of exhibitors. These include:

• Charity & Support Groups: Age UK Devon, Age Well North Devon, Barnstaple Macular Support Group, Disability Together and North Devon Talking News.

• Sensory & Healthcare Services: Devon County Sensory Team/ROVI, Scrivens, SpaMedica, and Vision Express Barnstaple.

• Assistive Technology & Resources: All Things Dotty, HumanWare, Optelec, and Vision Aid.

• Community Partners: National Trust North Devon.

A message from Devon in Sight

"We’re shaking things up a bit for this North Devon event!" says Sarah, Marketing and Office Manager at Devon in Sight. "We’ve designed it to be not only a hub of information, but also a friendly social gathering. Attendees can drop in, chat with our experts, and enjoy a delicious Devon cream tea between 10:00am and 2:00pm.

Our sight loss community gains so much from these events, and getting to spend time together in person is always the highlight for us. We can't wait to welcome everyone to Barnstaple."

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Event Summary

• What: Living Well with Sight Loss Event – North Devon
• Where: Roundswell Community Centre, Gratton Way, Roundswell, Barnstaple, EX31 3NL
• When: Monday 21^st September 2026, 09:30am until 2:30pm
• Cost: Free admission
• Accessibility: Fully accessible venue. Up to 3 hours of free parking is available in the adjacent Sainsbury's car park (please check signage).
• Refreshments Available: Complimentary tea and coffee served all day, alongside traditional Devon cream teas (which must be booked in advance) available from 10:00am to 2:00pm.

To register your interest, call the Devon in Sight helpline on 01392 876 666. Or head over to their website for more information - https://devoninsight.org.uk/independent-living/living-well-with-sight-loss-events.

Sight Support Event Heads to Barnstaple. Photo ©️Devon in Sight 2026 (

About Devon in Sight

Devon in Sight is your Local Sight Loss charity providing practical help and advice to people who are blind or partially sighted to help them to live life to the full.

Our Sight Loss Services focus on four key areas, Information, Advice and Guidance, Independent Living, Health and Wellbeing, and Influencing Change (Making the world a better place for people with sight loss).

 

The Burton at Bideford announced as a Freelands Awards 2026 winner

Freelands Foundation today announces The Burton at Bideford in North Devon as one of the first winners of a major new £1.5 million awards scheme recognising and celebrating visual art education in the UK over the next five years.

Winning for Burton Futures – an outreach programme working with rural schools to remove barriers to arts engagement – The Burton is one of three winning organisations who will each receive an award of £100,000. The winners will also collaborate with Freelands Foundation on case study films to share their art education work as a resource and inspiration to other organisations in the sector and beyond.

The Freelands Awards 2026 winners chosen in recognition of progressive art education approaches with demonstrable impact, are:

• The Burton at Bideford in North Devon, for Burton Futures, an outreach programme working with schools to remove barriers to arts engagement, including The Burton Art Box – a horse box converted into a camera obscura and darkroom that travels to rural schools
• SIGNAL in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria for its Artist Development Lab developing artists through workshops, expert mentoring and exhibition making
• Wolverhampton Art Gallery for two stand-out projects in its Arts and Culture Youth Programme inspired by the collection and temporary exhibitions in which participants work with the gallery team to help build skills and careers in the creative industries

Burton Futures was established in March 2025 in response to feedback from teachers about the increasing economic barriers local schools face in connecting young people to world-class art as part of their education. As well as funding continuing professional development (CPD) sessions for teachers and travel bursaries for rural schools to visit The Burton and take part in artist workshops, the scheme runs The Burton Art Box - a converted horse box that travels to rural schools as a camera obscura, connecting science and art curriculums.

Initially funded via a public crowdfunding campaign with The Big Give, the pilot year of Burton Futures has supported neary 500 children from nine rural schools to engage with art in new ways. There are now plans to build on the success of the programme by expanding into artwork loans to schools and mobile museums, working directly with teachers on shaping and fundraising for the project.

Harriet Cooper, Director, The Burton at Bideford, said:

“Receiving a Freelands Award 2026 is a huge honour for The Burton at Bideford. We believe every child in Northern Devon should have free access to art and creative experiences as part of their education. Our schools’ programme, Burton Futures, has shown what is possible when we listen to teachers, work alongside schools and develop programmes that are rooted in the places where young people live and learn.

As we celebrate our 75th anniversary, this Award will help us build on that approach by continuing to listen to and learn from schools. We want young people across North Devon to see themselves as part of The Burton’s community and to grow up knowing this museum belongs to them. Whether they return as visitors, artists, volunteers, staff or trustees, they will help shape the next chapter of The Burton’s story for our future generations.”

Freelands Foundation’s mission is to champion art education. Despite the increasing pressures they face due to declining funding and rising operational costs, visual arts organisations continue to be important sites of life-long teaching and learning. This first of its kind award recognising and celebrating visual art education in the UK is the result of learnings from a decade spent supporting visual art education, during which Freelands Foundation has seen galleries, museums and visual arts organisations as spaces for inspiring and progressive art education.

The judges for the Freelands Awards 2026 are: Artistic Director, Freelands Foundation, Dr Henry Ward; broadcaster, writer and producer Gemma Cairney; artist Joy Gregory; curator and writer Jenni Lomax; and art historian and educator Dr Ben Street. Following an open call and subsequent review of a broad range of entries from galleries and art organisations of different scales and models across the UK, the judges selected a group of organisations to visit in person before deciding on the three inaugural winners, all running innovative programmes committed to and rooted in their local communities.

Dr Henry Ward, Director of Freelands Foundation and Chair of the Freelands Awards 2026 Judging Panel, said:

“Chairing the jury and having the opportunity to read about, then visit, these extraordinary organisations and projects has been an incredible privilege. We are all too familiar with the challenges facing arts education and the constant pressures on the sector. Yet the inaugural Freelands Awards winners are inspiring examples of the progressive work taking place. All three demonstrate innovative, collaborative approaches to visual arts education, working closely with their local communities, responding to the specific places in which they are situated, and creating programmes where everyone is learning. Together, they reflect the remarkable breadth of this work, engaging everyone from primary school children and teachers to young people and emerging artists. Visiting them was a joy, and the judges were inspired to see first-hand the extraordinary impact they are having. They are true beacons of hope.”

This new vision for the Freelands Awards replaces the Foundation’s previous annual award focused on enabling UK arts organisations to present an exhibition of new work by a mid-career woman artist which ran for eight editions between 2016 and 2023.

Burton at Bideford, Kingsley Road, Bideford EX39 2QQ. Free entry. For more details see www.theburton.org or get in touch at info@theburton.org. 

Opening Hours:Tuesday to Saturday 10am–5pm ] Sunday 11am–4pm

Free entry  

 

Aloha from North Devon! Heanton Nursing Home gets a Hawaiian makeover

Family members at Heanton Nursing Home went to bed in North Devon and woke up to a taste of Hawaii after the home’s night team spent the night transforming their surroundings for a surprise Hawaiian Day.

While family members (residents) slept, the night team decorated the different households within Heanton with tropical decorations, grass skirts and colourful table displays, ready for everyone to discover when they woke the following morning. The celebrations were inspired by Hawaii Statehood Day, which marks Hawaii becoming the 50th US state, but at Heanton it was also an opportunity to turn an ordinary summer day into something a little different.

Hawaiian shirts had been ordered for family members who chose to dress for the occasion, while a mocktail bar returned after proving particularly popular during a previous Hawaiian-themed day at the home. Relatives also came into Heanton especially to join in with the celebrations. Some family members already had exactly the right wardrobe for the occasion, with bright colours, bold florals and tropical prints appearing from their own wardrobes!

The team were very much part of the day too, with many ordering Hawaiian shirts of their own and competing for the title of Hawaiian King or Queen. Pineapples were awarded to those who had made the greatest effort, with winners chosen from different parts of the home as well as the night team.

Home Manager Abigail Denford said: “I think what made the day particularly lovely was that it started long before everyone woke up. Our night team wanted family members to have that surprise in the morning, so they spent the night putting up all the decorations and transforming the households for them.”

By the time the decorations eventually came down, Heanton may have looked a little less tropical, but the day had shown that creating moments together is not something reserved for particular hours. Whether it is morning, afternoon or the middle of the night, there is always life happening at Heanton.

For more information about life and activities at Heanton Nursing Home, please visit Activities in Care – Heanton Nursing Home

A Career Built on Compassion, Jojo’s Story

Every person who works in care has their why. For Jojo (Joanne), House Lead at Sundial Care Home, a career in care was never just about finding a job, It was about giving something back to her community. Inspired by her two grandmothers, who both worked as auxiliary nurses at the local hospital in Ottery St Mary, caring has always been part of her life. This is her story.

Jojo joined Sundial more than nine years ago after almost leaving the care sector altogether.

"My previous care home closed after a change in ownership, and it wasn't being run well. Despite staff raising concerns, nothing changed, and I nearly decided that care wasn't for me anymore…. then I found Sundial."

"I was welcomed with open arms from my very first day. Although I already had qualifications, including my NVQ, BTEC and Diploma in Care, I wanted to start again as a Care Assistant and learn the Evolve Care Group way of caring."

Evolve Care Group offers every team member the opportunity to take part in its bespoke Evolve Care Academy. Designed to support ongoing learning and development, the programme equips team members with the skills and confidence to grow in their role and progress their career.

Since then, Jojo has progressed from Care Assistant to House Lead, later becoming a Care Practitioner and now Induction Lead, while remaining someone her team know they can rely on.

"I'll happily step into any role if I'm needed, whether that's supporting the care team or even helping with the odd maintenance job. We're all here to support each other."

Looking back, Jojo says training has shaped not only the way she provides care, but also the way she understands herself.

"One thing that has always stayed with me from the training is being asked, 'Who am I?' Learning about yourself first, through ideas like Thomas Kitwood's Flower  and understanding your own values, helps you understand the people you support even better."

Like Jojo, many team members at Sundial Care Home have been supported to progress through the Evolve Care Academy.

When asked what a typical day looks like, Jojo shared:

“There really isn't one. Of course we support family members (residents) with their daily needs, but we also have time to sit together, laugh together and simply spend time with people. Sometimes it's a group activity, sometimes it's supporting an individual to do something they enjoy, and sometimes it's just offering reassurance when someone isn't feeling themselves."

She also shared:

"That's what makes Sundial special. It's warm, homely and compassionate. We genuinely care about one another. The team feels like an extended family, and Liz, our Home Manager, has always believed in us and helped me become more confident over the years."

For Jojo, the most rewarding part of working in care has always been the relationships she builds with family members. Looking back over her nine years at Sundial, one relationship in particular continues to stay with her.

Marilyn first came to Sundial for respite care before later moving into the home permanently. Over time, Jojo and Marilyn developed a close bond.

"I had an amazing bond with Marilyn. She didn't always communicate with words, but through smiles, holding hands and simply being together. We laughed together, smiled together and sometimes cried together, especially after her beloved husband passed away."

Jojo supported Marilyn through one of the most difficult periods of her life, building a close relationship not only with Marilyn but also with her daughter, who often said Jojo was her mum's special person.

As Marilyn's health sadly declined, Jojo became one of the few people she would still accept food and drink from.

"Towards the end, she often wouldn't accept food or drinks from anyone else, but she would from me. She wasn't just someone I cared for; she became one of my closest friends."

The pair spent many evenings watching The Chase, sharing stories about their families and holidays, and looking through photographs. They even discovered they had both visited the same place in Portugal and had each swum with dolphins there.

When Marilyn passed away peacefully, Jojo later returned to that same place during a family holiday.

"I knew Marilyn would never be able to go back because of her health, so seeing the dolphins again felt like something I could do for her. It was my final goodbye."

Looking back on more than nine years at Sundial Care Home, Jojo says it's the relationships she has built that have made her career so rewarding.

"Seeing people happy, sharing laughter and knowing you've made a difference, those memories stay with you forever."

For Jojo, caring for Marilyn is just one of many moments that she will carry with her. Whether it's encouraging someone to continue doing the things they love, sharing moments of laughter, or simply being there when someone needs support, it's the privilege of becoming part of people's lives that continues to remind her why she chose a career in care, and why she stayed.

Finally, when asked to describe Sundial Care Home in just a few words, without hesitation Jojo shared:

“Rewarding. Extended family. Love and compassion.”

If you would like to learn more about a career at Sundial Care Home near Sidmouth, visit https://www.sundialcare.com/join-our-team/

 

Heanton Nursing Home welcomes former pupils back for St Christopher’s reunion

Heanton Nursing Home welcomed dozens of people from the local community through its doors when former pupils of St Christopher’s School, which was based in the historic building until 1985, returned for a special reunion.

For former pupils, walking through the building brought back plenty of memories, from the rooms and original staircases they once used to stories of travelling to and from school. While the former classrooms have since become living areas for family members at Heanton, many were pleased to find the beautiful view across the burrows unchanged. There was plenty that was new to discover too, from the extension to the grounds and flowering lawn.

The reunion also gave family members at Heanton the chance to be part of a much wider community occasion, sharing their home with people who had their own memories of the building. Family members spent time outside amongst the visitors, enjoying the company and conversations, alongside a friendly neighbourhood cat who regularly visits Heanton and also joined the gathering!

Home Manager Abigail Denford said: “One of the things we heard again and again was how beautiful the view still is. Heanton has obviously changed enormously since it was a school, but it was lovely seeing people recognise parts of the building and then share those memories with the people who live here now. Being connected to the community around us is really important to life at Heanton. A nursing home shouldn't feel separate from the community it belongs to, and days like this are a lovely example of what can happen when people come through our doors and spend time together.”

There is something rather special about seeing people return to a building that was once such a big part of their childhood. Heanton has changed considerably since the days of St Christopher’s, but at its heart, it is still a place filled with people, friendships, conversation and care. The children who once filled its classrooms have grown up, and today a new generation of people call Heanton home.

For more information about life and activities at Heanton Nursing Home, please visit Activities in Care – Heanton Nursing Home

Former Flight Engineer’s Life in the Skies Remembered

A former flight engineer whose career took him from aircraft hangars at Gatwick to the skies around the world has had his remarkable story put into writing by the team at Edenmore Nursing Home.

Born in July 1940, Colin was placed for adoption by his mother and spent his early childhood in foster care before moving to More Place War Nursery during the war. It was not a particularly happy period of his childhood, and one he has spoken little about with his loved ones. When Colin was five, however, his life changed for the better when he was adopted.

His adoptive parents lived in Kent and were an older couple who had sadly been unable to have children of their own.

Young Colin was quite mischievous, his daughter Lisa shared, ‘He once accidentally burned down the scout clubhouse!’ It’s not entirely clear how this happened, but it wasn’t deliberate and is a story now told fondly, with plenty of laughter.

Colin went on to become a flight engineer, a career that required considerable mathematical and technical knowledge. As Lisa explained, ‘In those days, I think someone could show an aptitude for something and, with a little luck and determination, progress from there.’ His career reflected both his natural ability and his determination to succeed.

Colin began his aviation career in 1964 with Ace Freighters at Gatwick Airport, working as a ground engineer on Lockheed Constellation aircraft before obtaining his Flight Engineer’s licence.

His career later took his young family to Zambia, where he worked on Hercules C130s, before returning to the UK and joining Laker Airways as a Flight Engineer on the Boeing DC-10.

Flying long-haul routes around the world, Colin combined his engineering knowledge with life as part of the flight crew. If an aircraft needed repair work after landing somewhere such as America or Barbados, he had the expertise to carry it out himself.

His daughter, Lisa, also has vivid memories of growing up around her dad’s career. She and her brothers would visit aircraft hangars, go aboard the planes and watch the ground engineers at work. On some flights, Lisa even travelled in the cockpit jump seat alongside her dad.

After Laker Airways went into administration, Colin later returned to flying with Dan-Air on the Boeing 727 and subsequently worked on Boeing 747s before joining Monarch Airlines as a Flight Engineer on the DC-10.

Today, Colin lives at Edenmore Nursing Home in Ilfracombe, where conversations about aircraft and his flying days remain one of the best ways for those around him to connect with him. Laker Airways, in particular, still holds a special place in his memories.

His aviation career is just one chapter of a much wider life story, which his family and the team at Edenmore have recently brought together – from Colin’s early childhood and family life to his love of gardening, Jaguars and dogs, and his life today at Edenmore.

To read Colin’s full story, visit: From Humble Beginnings to High-flyer: Colin’s Story

Edenmore Nursing Home offers 24-hour nursing and residential care by the North Devon coast. To learn more about life at Edenmore, visit www.edenmorenursinghome.com

'The Peopling of North Devon' Exhibition at the Museum of Barnstaple and North Devon.

Set right at the edge of England, North Devon's rich and varied history has been shaped by many peoples and cultures. Are we Celts, like the Cornish, or Saxons? And are there traces of later migrants in our population? The arrival of Vikings, Normans, Africans and Native Americans are all recorded in our history, but have they left genetic traces behind?

In modern times, North Devon has welcomed workers from Ireland, Wales, the Commonwealth and Eastern Europe. We have been a refuge, including in the 18th century for Huguenots fleeing religious persecution in France, in the 19th and 20th centuries Jews from central Europe, and, most recently, a place of safety for Ukrainian families.

The exhibition 'The Peopling of North Devon' is inspired by research undertaken by the Francis Crick Institute, a London-based biomedical research centre, which has analysed some of the Saxon skeletons discovered on the site of the former Barnstaple Castle as part of its 1000 Ancient Genomes Project. It will showcase objects from the Museum's collections, which evidence North Devon's ancient and recent migrations and which tell the stories of some of our local families.

Portraits of Mr and Mrs Rendle from the Museum of Barnstaple and North Devon Collection.

' The Peopling of North Devon' Exhibition

 17th October 2026 - 13th February 2027 

Explore how migration has shaped North Devon, from Celts, Saxons and Vikings to more recent arrivals. Featuring Museum objects and local family stories.

Museum of Barnstaple and North Devon, The Square, Barnstaple EX32 8LN

Aloha Ilfracombe! Edenmore Brings Hawaii to North Devon

Edenmore Nursing Home recently transformed its garden area for their Hawaiian-themed ‘Aloha’ party.

Balloons, banners, paper fans and tropical hanging decorations were strung through the trees and along the fence, while the home’s new garden furniture arrived just in the nick of time! A Tiki mocktail bar was set up alongside a photo booth, complete with inflatable props and blow-up musical instruments.

Family members who chose to join the party were encouraged to wear something bright or add a Hawaiian lei, while team members got into the theme with Hawaiian shirts and holiday wear.

Almost all of the home’s family members chose to spend some time in the garden, including people who often prefer their own space or usually receive their care in their rooms. Some preferred just to stay for ten or twenty minutes before returning to their household or bedroom, while others settled in for longer. A number of relatives also came along for the afternoon.

Edenmore is made up of separate households, allowing people with similar care needs to live together in smaller communities within the home. It is currently preparing to open its newest household, The Quays, which will welcome people who are self-funding.

Head Chef Mike took charge of the barbecue, serving burgers, sausages and skewers, followed by puddings including large trifles and ice cream.

Sydney, the Home Manager’s grandson, proudly took charge of the Tiki bar. He followed the mocktail menu, added ice, shook the drinks and made his way around the garden asking family members and relatives what they would like. Family member Diana was particularly taken with the mocktails, and when Sidney returned to ask whether she would like another, her answer was a definite, ‘Well, yes!’

There were a number of games throughout the afternoon and plenty of photos taken in the photo booth before Roberto, who regularly visits the home for Chair Zumba sessions, joined the party with music and singing. Hands and feet soon began tapping along to the beat, with Diana and Harry, who particularly love music, getting up to dance.

Home Manager Gayle shared about the day, ‘There were just so many lovely moments. At one point Harry and Brian each picked up one of the blow-up instruments and began to ‘play’ beside each other. I said to Emma [Home Administrator], “Just look.” They had simply picked them up themselves and started playing together.’

Events like these at Edenmore give family members plenty of different ways to spend an afternoon together and socialise, whether that means sitting down to some good food, listening to music, joining in with a game or simply enjoying the atmosphere. For some, it might just be ten minutes outside with an ice cream, a little sunshine and a change of scenery.

Edenmore Nursing Home offers 24-hour nursing and residential care by the North Devon coast. To learn more about life at Edenmore, visit www.edenmorenursinghome.com