Roberto's Chair Zumba Brings Joy to North Devon Care Home

Edenmore Nursing Home has been enjoying their Chair Zumba sessions from Robert ‘Roberto’ Campbell for a number of years now, with family members (residents) lighting up every time he walks through the door.

Roberto has been leading Zumba sessions for over 20 years, starting out by teaching people living with disabilities and church groups, where he saw first-hand the benefits of movement in combination with music. Believing people living in nursing and care homes could benefit from a similar approach, Roberto began taking his sessions into homes too.

Unlike a traditional Zumba class, where learning and following fixed routines may take centre stage, Roberto’s sessions at Edenmore use gentler movements and are shaped by the mood in the room, allowing him to adapt the pace and approach as he goes. They are more about supporting wellbeing with music and movement, rather than purely physical exercise.

Family members who choose to take part do so in their own way. Some tap their feet from their chairs or sit with their eyes closed, nodding along to the beat, while others sway hand-in-hand with someone beside them or get up on their feet. For many, music has the power to evoke positive and familiar feelings linked to their past, such as favourite songs from a happy time in their life.

Family members Harry, Diana, Carol and Anthony particularly love these afternoons. Although Anthony isn’t always able to dance up on his for feet for too long before getting tired, his feet start tapping and he starts singing as soon as he sees Roberto. Harry and Diana have a lovely dance together, talking and smiling at one another as they sway, holding each other’s hands.

One memorable afternoon, Carol decided to get up to stand at the front of the room and sing the song that was playing to everyone!

Sessions are held in one of the home’s lounges, with family members from Edenmore’s different households encouraged to come together and take part. The household model approach means people with similar care needs live in smaller communities within the wider home, while still having opportunities to spend time with people from other households.

Edenmore is also preparing to open its newest household, The Quays, which will welcome people who are self-funding.

Home Administrator Emma shared about these sessions, ‘Roberto is always so happy and vibrant. He doesn't just come in and put some music on. He is totally involved and talks to everyone, getting as many family members up dancing as he can. Even the team can’t resist joining in!’

Activities like these at Edenmore give family members different ways to spend an afternoon together and socialise, with the music and movement naturally prompting laughter, conversation and interaction.

 

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

International Food Tasting Event

Sundial Care Home near Sidmouth recently held its annual international food tasting event, with team members bringing in homemade dishes from around the world and from their own heritage to share with family members (residents) and the rest of the team.

The event is a chance to celebrate the different cultures through food within the residential care home, with everyone encouraged to taste something they may not have tried before. It also gives team members an opportunity to bring something personal from their own lives into the home, whether that is a favourite dish, a family recipe or food connected to their culture.

This year, the table was filled with chicken noodles, balti curry and rice, samosas and bhajis, followed by brownies and flapjacks. Rather than a usual lunchtime, plates and dishes were passed around the table for people to sample, with conversation naturally turning to the different flavours and ingredients.

There was also a homemade lassi made with yoghurt, mint, coriander and pepper, traditionally enjoyed after curry to refresh the palate. The drink proved particularly interesting for those tasting it for the first time and prompted plenty of discussion about what went into it and the different food traditions people had experienced over the years.

The international food tasting also reflects the wider community within Sundial, where people from different backgrounds spend their days together and get to know one another beyond their everyday routines. Bringing a dish from home is one small way for team members to share a part of who they are with the people they live and work alongside.

Regular events like this are an important part of the community at Sundial, bringing family members and team members together and strengthening the sense of belonging within the home.

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

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