A Howling Success! Sundial Care Home Hosts Community Dog Show

Sundial Care Home near Sidmouth, Devon, recently hosted its first dog show, welcoming family members (residents), team members, relatives and members of the local community through their doors.

Held in the 3 acre gardens at the care home, the team set up gazebos and umbrellas for shade, water bowls for the dogs and refreshments and cakes for everyone to enjoy. Family members were so looking forward to the event that some went out into the garden early to make sure they had a seat secured at the front!

The morning began with a parade, where each dog and handler walked around the garden and introduced themselves before the judging began. Family member Pat, who has experience in dog handling and has previously judged obedience at a variety of dog shows, took on the role for the day and, being in familiar territory, almost immediately settled into judging.

There were a number of categories to enter, including Waggiest Tail, Best at Retrieving, Gentlest Giant, Sweetest Small, Best Trick and Best in Show. Each class brought its own moments of fun, with family members and visitors clapping, laughing and sharing their thoughts as the judging took place.

Children who attended also got involved by helping hold leads and walk the dogs in some of the classes, adding to the family feel of the event.

Alongside the competition, one of the most meaningful parts of the morning was seeing the dogs and their handlers spending time with family members around the garden. Whether stopping for a stroke , saying hello or sitting alongside them, those smaller moments helped make the event feel personal and gave everyone an opportunity to connect.

At the end of the show, every dog received a certificate and a treat bag, and Pat was presented with flowers as a thank you for her judging.

One relative shared “Me & Jeep had an amazing time. Thanks to everyone & we're practicing our tricks for next year.” Another member of the community said “Thank you so much, it was great fun.”

Following the success of the event, several visitors have already asked whether the dog show could become an annual event at Sundial in the future, with some even offering to help out. The Devon care home continues to build strong community relationships while creating a home-from-home for its family members, supporting them to remain connected, involved and engaged within the local community.

 

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

The Sundial Summer Fair

Sundial Care Home in Tipton St John hosted its Summer Fair in their three-acre grounds, drawing strong support from family members (residents), relatives, members of the community, and volunteers for an afternoon of activities, stalls, and entertainment to celebrate the end of the summer season.

Visitors enjoyed a range of games, including Guess How Many Sweets Are in the Jar, Name the Teddy, Hook a Duck, and the ever-popular Splat the Rat. The fair also featured a variety of stalls, such as hair braiding, a book stall, locally handmade children’s clothes, tea and coffee, cake sale, face painting and more.

Singer Zara King provided live entertainment throughout the afternoon which had a couple of family members dancing non-stop, and later announced the winners of the raffle as the day came to a close. Signature mocktails were served by small business Botanic, alongside ice creams from the East Devon Ices van. Local neighbours Bella and her mum Liz sold home-baked cakes to support Bella’s school trip to New York and Hospice Care also supported the fair with a tombola stall.

Team members brought along their children to enjoy the activities and help run stalls, creating opportunities for intergenerational connections within the home. Leftover books and prizes from the stalls have since been donated to the Tipton Fete, ensuring the community continues to benefit from the day’s success.

Sundial Care Home is nestled in the heart of Tipton St John, and has long been known for their strong community involvement. The care home places great importance on maintaining strong community connections for those who live there, supporting their wellbeing and sense of identity. Many family members come from the surrounding area, and events like the Summer Fair support them to stay close to their community, while also giving those from further afield the chance to build new community connections.

If you would like to learn more about Sundial Care Home, please visit https://www.sundialcare.com/lifes-journey-continued/

The Great Sundial Bake Off

Sundial Care Home, which sits in the heart of Tipton St John, Devon, recently held their very own bake off. Team members at the home, tied on their aprons and whipped up a selection of delicious bakes for residents to taste and judge, who the home fondly refer to as “family members”.

Those who chose to participate had their voting slips and pens at the ready as they sampled a piece of each cake. Mikyla Tribble, the homes Administrator, prepared a perfectly glazed banana cake, Sue Smith, Care Assistant, crafted a rich chocolate sponge, decorated with roses and fondant icing, Tina Sutton, a part of the Kitchen Team baked a classic coffee and walnut cake, and finally, Liz Thompson, the home’s Manager, put together a rich chocolate cake decorated with chocolate buttons, which the family members chose to crown as first place winner.

Baking is a skill that many family members have enjoyed throughout their lives, and the bake off provided a fun and familiar experience for them to test the teams baking skills, whilst igniting fond memories through the power of taste and aroma.

The Care Home near Sidmouth, Devon, continues to offer meaningful activities that reflect daily life, provide opportunities that reflect daily life, ensuring those living there remain engaged and connected in ways that feel natural and fulfilling.

To find out more about Sundial Care Home, visit https://www.sundialcare.com/activities-in-care/

Sundial Care Home welcomes Animals 2U

Sundial Care Home located near Sidmouth, welcomed some very small and unusual guests recently, as Animals 2U brought a selection of creatures for a hands on experience for those living there.

Among the visitors were tortoises, Tortellini and Timothy, bearded dragon, Rocky, and guinea pig, Ethel, each offering a unique interaction for residents, who the home fondly refer to as family members. The visit provided a chance to stroke, hold and observe each animal, sparking conversation and fond memories of pets from the past. For those unable to leave their beds, the experience was brought to them, ensuring everybody was included. These quiet, one-to-one moments provided a calming and engaging experience, particularly for those with a Dementia, who found comfort in the familiar textures and movements.

The visit encouraged connection and curiosity, with residents asking questions and sharing stories about their own animals. Sundial Care Home recognises the value of these interactions, supporting wellbeing and bringing a sense of warmth and companionship to daily life.

To find out more about Sundial Care Home, visit https://www.sundialcare.com/

What's On Point. South West’s favourite Needle & Hobby Craft4Crafters show returns 14th-16th July.

After 18 months of being away South West’s favourite Needle & Hobby Craft show returns to Westpoint in Exeter. The event, the Craft4Crafters Show, which meets all the Covid Safe guidelines, will run from Wednesday 14th to Friday 16th July, doors opening 9am –6pm every day.

“We are extremely proud of our line-up for the 2021 show” says Director Andrew Thorpe, “the last 18 months have been extremely challenging for us and many of our traders. We know the show has been greatly missed and many have been waiting a long time for its return.” 

The event will be following all Covid safety regulations including wider aisles, a separate entrance and exit system, testing, sanitizing stations, capped attendance numbers and upholding face covering rules.

For more details about the show, its running times, exhibitor attendance, features,and facilities visit the shows website www.craft4crafters.co.uk Tickets can be purchased through the show website or by calling 0117 370 3342

Craft4Crafters Show, Westpoint, Exeter 

Wednesday 14th to Friday 16th July, 

doors opening 9am –6pm every day.

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Tickets can be purchased through the show website
www.craft4crafters.co.uk

or by calling 0117 370 3342