Marston Court Newsletter August 1 – September 1 2013

Every year, in the middle of August, the Order of St John’s Care Trust has its ‘Summer Fun Day’ at the King’s Centre in Osney, Oxford ! Each time it takes place there is a different theme for the day – and this year on Wednesday 21

st August, it was ‘Pirates’!

After days of preparation, this is how we all looked just before we all set off on the bus! In this picture, you can see (l-r) Barbara, Eleanor, Elsie, Tim, Gladys, Sharon (Home Manager), Lawrence, Diane, Paul and Jean.

The flag for the middle of our table at the King’s Centre had been worked on by one of our brilliant volunteers – Annika, and some of the other residents who couldn’t make it on the day… like 102 year old Alice Campion, who is still a bit of a budding artist!

We were entertained by two young people from Chipping Norton, who brought along various ‘exotic’ animals for us to look at - including this snake that Gladys found really fascinating! (Don’t worry – it was harmless, and it didn’t give Gladys that black-eye!!)

The staff from the Operations Centre worked hard providing cups of tea, coffee

and glasses of Sherry for everyone, as well as serving over 200 portions of fish and

chips for the hungry among us all!

2.

Chuffed to Bits ! We all had a great time when we went on our annual pilgrimage to Cutteslowe Park to ride on the miniature trains!

As soon as we arrived at the Park, we were offered cups of tea by the wonderful volunteers who run the miniature railway trains!

We took Jean, Gladys, Lawrence, Barbara, Tim, Arthur, Elsie and Joan. We also had lots of help

from three of our own volunteers – Amir, Sara and Karl.

There was Faye and Paul from Marston Court, as well as Joan’s husband Derek, who used to work there as a volunteer himself! Thanks to everyone for making our trip such a success!

After the ‘light refreshment’, it was time to take our first ride on the trains!

They even have a carriage which is especially designed to take people in

wheelchairs…. This carriage was built and paid for with Lottery money (hence the name on the side - ‘Lottie’!), and is absolutely brilliant for people who find it too difficult to sit astride the other carriages. Every one of their volunteers on duty did a fantastic job helping our residents get on and off the trains, and without their help and regards for our health and safety, we wouldn’t be able to go along each year, and have such a good time!

Our Summer Garden Party! Sometimes things don’t always go to plan!! Unlike last year, when he had glorious weather, this year’s summer heat-wave unfortunately didn’t extend to Saturday August 24

th when we had plans for our annual – much publicised

‘Garden Party and Barbecue’! For weeks we had all been basking in glorious sunshine, but on the day, we woke to cloudy skies and with the rain pouring down!! As it looked like it had set in for the day, last minute arrangements were made for an ‘indoor’ Garden Party, with the gas barbecue confined to the Handyman’s shed! We decided to go ahead with the event, despite all these problems. Thankfully everyone – residents and families alike – still turned out, and we all crammed ourselves into our Day Centre lounge! All the ‘barbecue’ food was cooked in the kitchen, and served through the serving hatch! It all was a bit of a crush in the lounge, but everyone had a good time, and we all hope that we will have more luck with the weather next year!

Thanks to everyone who came along – against all odds!

3.

Happy Birthday to Rose Hemmings on 3rd August, and Eleanor Clifford on the 8th - seen here with her family…

Tony Wetherell was on the 7th , Joan Harvey on the 9th, and Suzanne Moore celebrated her birthday on the 19th – the same day as carer Debbie Lancaster (and of course another carer couldn’t help getting in on the act!!)

Nicky and Will have been to play for us twice in August… They have been coming to us fortnightly, courtesy of the Musician’s Union, and will continue

their visits until the middle of October. Every time they come along, there is a different regional ‘theme’ to their music and dancing… On the 14

th August it was

music from the north-east of England, with wonderful (very loud!) clog-dancing!

Then on their next visit on 28

th, it was time for some

Scottish music and dancing! It was during this session that Nicky tried to teach Paul how to do a bit of Scottish Dancing!

Unfortunately Paul has two left feet and needs considerable practice!! Nicky and Will are back again on 11th

September with Irish music…

4.

Marston Court now has a Deputy Activities Coordinator ! Hello, my name is Penny Jenner. My husband and I ran a Community Pharmacy in East Oxford for 25 years until 2011. Since then I have trained in massage and am now a fully qualified Holistic Massage Therapist. I decided to do this after my mother, who suffered from dementia, died in 2009. Mum very much enjoyed gentle foot and hand massage and her generally wellbeing was hugely improved. It also gave me a chance to truly connect with my mother when other forms of communication were lost. I have been giving hand massage to Marston Court Residents since April this year, on a voluntary basis and it now gives me great pleasure to become part of the Activities team, working with Paul. I look forward to getting to know the residents and finding out their interests, likes and dislikes. As well as working in Marston Court I also have a private therapy room giving massage to clients, specializing in massage for women and massage in pregnancy.

Penny has already been busy working with

our residents making greetings cards!

In Penny’s very first activity with our residents, she had a bit of help from her daughter, Lucy who took these pictures of everyone beavering away creating their own ‘works of art’!

Penny is already coming up with ideas for things she would like to involve our residents in when she starts

carrying out activities from Monday16th

September onwards, so please make her very welcome to Marston Court!

Marston Court Marston Road, Marston, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX3 0DJ Tel: 01865 241526 Web: www.osjct.co.uk

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