Newletter - Issue 3 2012

the AKStimes� e Abbey� eld Kent Society Newsletter 2012 Issue 3

www.abbeyfieldkent.org

Spirits are running high!

AKS celebrate team GBHomes throw their own mini Olympics and show support for team GB. Page 14 & 15

We celebrate staff and volunteers, plus winner of Spirit of Abbeyfield revealed. Page 4 & 5

Plus more news from around the homes.

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WelcomeWelcome to the third and final 2012 issue of the AKS times, The Abbeyfield Kent Society newsletter, which aims to keep you up-to-date on the news from around the Society.

This issue features all the news from the last few months, including our annual Spirit of Abbeyfield Award Ceremony. Every year we celebrate our staff’s long service and qualifications gained, along with our dedicated volunteers. More details on pages 4 & 5.

It’s been a really busy few months, and a very eventful year for the Society. Having reached the 45 year mark, we wanted to make sure our residents’ join us in celebrating.

You may remember in our last issue some spectacular images of our residents that were produced for the 2012 annual report. We were lucky enough to have those images shown on the BBC South East news - to see the full library of photos and more details, see pages 8 & 9.

Our homes have been as busy as ever with trips to the sea side, summer fetes (regardless of the weather!) and, of course, joining the rest of the country in celebrating team GB in the Olympics.

We’ve been fortunate to receive visits from some local schools at several of our homes. Watling Court, our extra care scheme in Gravesend, was visited by Riverview Junior School for the big unveiling of their tapestry, which was created by the residents and the children for an art project. The residents and staff were also treated to a performance from

The Abbeyfield Kent Society is a registered charity and housing association; providing care and housing to over 500 older people at 15 locations throughout Kent.

The Abbeyfield Kent SocietyThe Old WharfStation RoadCuxtonRochesterKentME2 1AB

Telephone: 01634 723007Enquiry line: 0800 112 3166

Registered in England under the Companies Act No. 908333Registered under the Housing Act 1974 No. H2362Registered Charity No. 254140

You can keep up-to-date on all the news from the Society’s homes and events all year round by visiting the following sites:

their choir. More details on page 13.

Preparations for our annual Lantern Parade, which is taking place at The Friars in Aylesford on the 9th December, are well underway with Christmas fast approaching!

As always, we welcome your feedback on the AKS times. Please feel free to contact the media team on 01634 723007 or email [email protected]

Enjoy the issue.

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3 the AKS times - www.abbeyfieldkent.org

Society news

A group of 5 runners have completed the Royal Parks Foundation Half Marathon to raise funds for Abbeyfield Kent’s Who Cares? Initiative.

12,500 people took part in the half marathon event on the 7th October. Starting and finishing in Hyde Park, the route takes runners through four royal parks, along the bank of the River Thames and past some of London’s most iconic landmarks, including The Houses of Parliament, The London Eye and Buckingham Palace.

Having been fundraising since earlier in the year, the team of runners have now raised well over £1000 for Who Cares? but are not stopping there - they are hoping to push the total a lot higher before the end of the year.

Sometimes, the care that Abbeyfield Kent provides can no longer be paid for from

Who Cares? Initiative gives fundraisers’ a run for their money!

diminishing personal funds, and it is a sad fact that the shock of moving home at that stage in life can lead to sickness and premature death.

The Who Cares? Initiative was set up to establish a bursary fund for the older people for whom Abbeyfield Kent provide care, meaning they can stay in their home and giving them invaluable peace of mind.

Leon Steer, Chief Executive at The Abbeyfield Kent Society, was delighted with the hard work everyone put in, commenting: “I am so pleased that we were able to enter our runners in this year’s Royal Parks Foundation Half Marathon. Fundraising endeavours like this are integral to our Who Cares? Initiative, which makes a big difference to our residents’ lives. Everyone at the Society is extremely grateful to all of our runners for their hard work and fundraising efforts; we’re already looking forward to next year’s event.”

CaresWho

Want to make a difference? Donate to our Who Cares? Initiative, which helps give older people peace of mind.

Visit www.abbeyfieldkent.org/whocares for more details.

One of our runners, Alex Phillips, just before he runs the 13.1 miles

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Society news

Winner, Valerie Banfield with her trophy

Valerie Banfield, domestic staff member at Rogers House residential home in Gillingham, has been rewarded for her commitment to older people with the Spirit of Abbeyfield Award.

Valerie was presented with the award at Abbeyfield Kent’s annual award ceremony, which recognises the long service and commitment of its work force and says a big thank you to its volunteers.

This year’s event took place on Friday 28th September at Hempstead House in Bapchild, and was attended by our vast team of volunteers, as well as members of staff who were being recognised for long service, in addition to those who have earned professional qualifications during the last year.

This was the second year the Society has given out the Spirit of Abbeyfield Award, having proudly presented Maggie Town, a carer at Greensted residential home, the award last year. The Society is fortunate to receive exceptional support and dedication from all of its employees, and the Spirit of Abbeyfield Award was introduced to recognise those members of staff who go the extra mile in their commitment to caring for older people.

It was a truly tough decision for the Society’s Chairman Robert Barnes and Chief Executive Leon Steer, but there could only be one winner, and it was decided Valerie was the chosen one for 2012. Valerie was picked as she goes above and beyond the call of duty for the residents at Rogers House, two of whom accompanied her on the day to receive her award.

Spirits are running high!


Society news


Rogers House staff and volunteers with their certificates

Staff and volunteers with their award certificates

Bobby Barnes, Chairman, 2011 winner Maggie Town, Val Banfield and Leon Steer,

Chief Executive

Robert Barnes, Abbeyfield Kent Chairman commented: “Everyone who works for the Society should be proud of themselves for what they have done, as I am proud to have them as colleagues. It was humbling to read through all the nominations for the Spirit of Abbeyfield Award. I wish we could have given them all an award, but that would have

somewhat defeated the object! I was delighted to be able to recognise Valerie’s commitment to her residents at Rogers House; I’m already looking forward to next year’s award.”

For more images of our home’s events across Kent visit:www.facebook.com/abbeyfieldkent

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Society news

Calling all volunteers: Your Abbeyfield needs YOU!It’s been said before but is nonetheless true for that: the most precious thing we have is time. When my teenage daughter stays in bed until noon I try to tell her that she is wasting an extremely valuable and non-renewable commodity. She ignores me, of course, because she is – well – a teenager and it is her God-given right to ignore all advice.

But while teenagers may be sleeping half their lives away, and others have to get up on dark mornings on account of the fact that we have to earn a crust, there is one other group of very special people who, for various reasons, could sleep until noon. But they don’t. They don’t have to go to work – but they, too, get up on dark mornings. But they don’t get paid.

When I meet our volunteers, I am struck by two things about them. The first is that they seem almost embarrassed when you express gratitude for the work they do for the Society. They don’t do it for praise or recognition. The second thing is that they each have their own story, their own account for why they do what they do.

Some have been doing it for years. Some are older than the residents they are helping. Some do the odd day or couple of hours here or there when they can fit it in. Others spend considerable time working for us for nothing in return at all.

In an age of cynicism, made worse by thereported greed of some sectors of the financial services “community”, our volunteers restore the balance, bringing renewed faith in the human spirit and the kindness of decent people from all walks of life.

They’re not angels. In fact they are very ordinary (which I’m not sure is perfect grammar, but you know what I mean!). They are what the Americans would call “regular guys”. But they are, in their own, quiet way, very special and extremely important to the Society. More to the point, they are vital to the welfare of our residents.

Every hour they work for us – for nothing, remember – they are freeing a paid employee to do vital work. They do jobs the staff would never have time to do. A case in point was of an elderly man who could no longer see well enough to read his daily paper, something he’s been doing since he was a lad. Think of the loss that he must have felt. A volunteer offered to read the paper to him instead. Imagine the joy in his heart at being reconnected with the world through one man’s kindness.

We have volunteers who do the ironing, some that just sit and talk to residents, and some who help when residents have a day out to the seaside, or on a boat trip. No volunteers, no trips out, no change to the daily routine that can become a real issue if you have the same thing happen to you day



St Martins gardening volunteers with resident Alf Nicholls

Society news

Calling all volunteers: Your Abbeyfield needs YOU!in and day out.

So, thank you to each and every one of you. You are big people in my book and I know I speak for everyone in the Society when I say that.

Now then…

What about people who want to give their time in a different way? Let’s face it, not everyone wants to do voluntary work in residential care. Nothing wrong with that, of course: We’re all different. Now, as it happens, we’re looking for some volunteers to carry out some fairly specific work for us.

If you read the last issue of this newsletter, you will recall an article about the Society setting up a “Friends of the Abbeyfield Kent” organisation. We’re continuing to work on that but, since our volunteers will be at the heart of the “Friends”, we think it would be good to have a volunteer or two to help us manage it. Is this something that might interest you?

We run various events from opening new homes to the Spirit of Abbeyfield Award ceremony (to which all volunteers are, of course, invited). They take a lot of organising and a lot of orchestration on the day. Are you someone who likes to get involved in the behind-the-scenes organisation of events? How about photographers? Anyone out there with a digital camera and the skill to make best use of it? How about taking some shots for us?We’re also looking for an existing volunteer to sit on our Equality and Diversity Panel. It meets four times a year

for about 2 hours a time and it is really making a difference to how the organisation deals with issues around equality of opportunity and all the associated issues. Is that something that you feel strongly about? Come and join us!

Interested? Drop me an email at [email protected] and I’ll talk to you about how you can make a difference. Or, if you are already a volunteer, make a different sort of difference!

Around the homes

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You’re never too old to have fun...We are reaching the end of our 45th anniversary, but are very much looking forward to our 46th year and continuing our journey and the work we do with older people.

As a organisaton working in the care sector, it is important never to lose sight of the bigger picture and, as always, we look to the heart of what we’re about - our residents.


Around the homes


Share your thoughts by visiting our Facebook pagewww.facebook.com/abbeyfieldkent

or tweet us on @abbeyfieldkent

Just because you live in a care home, life doesn’t end there. Older people are not incapable or unwilling to engage with an ever changing society. Moving into one of our homes means people gain their independance back, and their quality of life is greatly increased.

Our residents are the best people to prove this point, and what better way to celebrate 45 years caring for Kent than through them.

We wanted to show real examples of our residents and the fun side of their lives, which a lot of people don’t think of when they think of care homes. Having reached

our 45th anniversary, we thought it would be suitable to celebrate each decade by taking something of that era and reenacting it.

ABBEYFIELD ROADROGERS HOUSE

June Thery Cathleen Tamsett Rosina Novell Victoria Middlemiss

Around the homes

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Tracey Crouch, MP for Chatham and Aylesford supports St Martins


Staff and residents thoroughly enjoy themselves

Homes celebrate the end of summer with fabulous fetesSt Martins residential home celebrated the end of summer with a fete for residents and the local community.

St Martins, a residential home in Larkfield, holds a summer fete every year, and the events have become well known amongst local people. The 2012 fete was hotly anticipated and special guests Tracey Crouch, the MP for Chatham and Aylesford, along with the Deputy Mayor and Mayoress of Tonbridge and Malling, came along on the day to lend their support.

The guests got involved with the events at the fete, which included a tombola, hook a duck, a bouncy castle, a dance show, stalls from local suppliers and a special appearance from Peppa Pig.

Over £1000 was raised by the event, which will be used to fund days out for St Martins residents later in the year, plus a generous donation to Abbeyfield Kent’s Who Cares? Initiative. The Who Cares? Initiative helps give older people peace of mind by offering a bursary fund to help keep older people in their home when they can no longer afford the cost of care.

Jan Moulton, St Martins home manager commented: “It was great to have the support and attendance of Tracy Crouch and the Deputy Mayor and Mayoress of Tonbridge and Malling; their presence really added to what proved to be a wonderful day. I am pleased that so many members of the local community were able to come along and visit us on the day but, most of all, I am

Around the homes


Staff enjoy the day at Greensted

Residents at Greensted residential home also enjoyed a summer fete in the grounds of the Wateringbury home.

The event was held on Sunday 2nd September in the glorious Kent sunshine, with staff and residents joined by friends, family and members of the local community.

Visitors were treated to a wide range of activities, including a raffle, tombola, plant and book stalls as well as bric a brac. Entertainment was provided by local artist Unique.

Residents at the home arrange a summer fete every year, but 2012’s was extra special as the festivities were also to celebrate Abbeyfield Kent’s 45th anniversary.

Greensted home manager Sue Imms was

so glad that our residents were able to enjoy the day and join in with the activities. It was a terrific occasion.”

delighted with how the day went, commenting: “It was a really great day. We were very fortunate with the sunshine, which made a huge difference as we could get outdoors and enjoy the weather. As ever, the support from the local community was wonderful, and a big thank you to every one who helped on the day.”

For more images of our home’s events across Kent visit:

www.facebook.com/abbeyfieldkent

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Pupils from Wateringbury Primary School visited residents at the nearby Greensted residential home for a day of activities and crafts.

Residents from the home welcomed twelvepupils for a games and craft session. Both the younger and older generations enjoyed playing board games, colouring in pictures, making Christmas cards with volunteers and staff, decorating cakes and having a chat with cakes and juice.

The children of Wateringbury Primary School are no strangers to Greensted, being regular visitors to the home, with two very different generations finding a lot in common. Greensted resident Bea Foreman commented: “I always look forward to the children coming up. I had lots of fun taking part in the

Residents of Greensted and school children get crafty

Around the homes

Residents and children from the school working on their craft skills

games, and the cakes we decorated were delicious!”

Sue Imms, home manager at Greensted was similarly delighted with the visit, commenting: “We are lucky to have such a great relationship with Wateringbury Primary School, and the residents always enjoy their visits. It’s really heart-warming to see them talking, playing and laughing together, we’re already looking forward to the next visit!”

The day flew by, but the residents at Greensted can look forward to seeing their friends again soon. Wateringbury Primary School will be attending Abbeyfield Kent’s annual Lantern Parade, and their choir will also be singing carols for the residents before Christmas.



Around the homes

Older and younger generations join handsWatling Court, Abbeyfield Kent’s extra care scheme in Gravesend, welcomed regular visitors Riverview Junior School to their home.

The school children, aged between seven and eleven, came to show the residents at Watling Court their wonderful tapestry, made especially for them, and even sang a few songs. The tapestry was created to symbolise the joining of the school and the home, being suitably titled ‘Hands Together’.

Earlier in the year the school children came to Watling Court and drew around the residents’ hands, along with their own, making their artwork into a tapestry.

The residents were also able to look through a special book, which was presented for the first time that afternoon. The book reveals the history of the tapestry and photos capturing all the different stages during the

The children of Riverview Junior School show off their tapestry and book

Jemimah and Ewan show residents, Freda and Elsie, the book they made

creation of the artwork.

The whole of Riverview Junior School took part, which is about 480 children, with a class of 32 coming along to show it off. It took the children the whole of the summer term, but it was worth it, as the residents were over the moon with it.

Watling Court resident Jean Johnson commented: “I always look forward to the children coming to visit us - the singing was a special treat. I was so impressed with the tapestry and book, and I am so happy we get to display it in our home. I had great fun taking part in such a lovely project.”

Residents’ at St Martins show off their gold medals

Around the homes

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Homes across Kent celebrate the Olympics. Go team GB!Inspired by the heroics of Team GB at London 2012, residents across our Kent homes have held their own mini competition.

The games have been very popular at the homes, with residents watching eagerly on television every day and getting keen to join in. In response to this, staff at Edward Moore House decided to make use of technology such as the Nintendo Wii to host the first ever Edward Moore House Olympic bowling tournament!

Residents gathered in the home's lounge, some as competitors and some to cheer their friends on. Amongst the other supporters were staff, friends and family,

with the younger ones stepping in to take part themselves. Lillian, who is the great-grand-daughter of resident William Russell, took part to great acclaim, and bagged herself a bronze medal for her efforts.

This was not the first time that residents at the home have held a Nintendo Wii tournament, and reigning champion Margaret Wyatt did not want to give up her title without a fight! However, on this occasion the competition was won by Edna, who collected her prize from Ian, one of the home's carers who oversaw the competition.

Home manager John Ogbe commented: “We’ve had the Olympic games on the television at Edward Moore House the same


Ian Searle with resident Margaret Wyatt playing on the Wii

Around the homes


Homes across Kent celebrate the Olympics. Go team GB!

as everyone else, and just like the rest of the country the residents have found it inspiring. The Olympic bowling tournament was a great day and the residents had lots of fun. The visiting friends and family made the occasion that bit more special, we’re all looking forward to finding out whether Edna can retain her title in Rio 2016!”

Residents at The Dynes residential home got caught up in Olympic Fever with a trip to see the Olympic Torch.

Residents at the home, which is in Kemsing near Sevenoaks, did not want to be left out when the torch passed nearby, so staff at the home planned a day out to Seal so they could see the real thing. Benefitting from a lovely warm day, everyone enjoyed an ice cream in the sunshine and soaked up the atmosphere while they waited for the torch to arrive, then gave a big cheer when it passed.

Upon returning to the home, residents could

The Dynes home made torch

not let the excitement and occasion pass, so decided to recreate the torch relay back at home! They quickly knocked up a replica out of paper and passed it around the home, creating their own olympic relay!

This is not the first time residents at The Dynes have acted out iconic sporting events; earlier in the year they created their own London Marathon around the corridors of The Dynes, even handing out medals to winners, which were then proudly attached to their zimmer frames for the rest of the day.

Nicky Pett, home manager at The Dynes, commented: “It’s smashing that the residents were able to go and check out the Olympic Torch as it passed nearby. A lot of them remember the post-war games but none of them got to go and see the flame, so it was a great day out. The procession back at the home was terrific and I was very proud of them, they have such a tremendously fun attitude which is so infectious, the staff were having a wonderful time! What with the torch and the marathon, I’m going to have to keep my eye on them over the next few weeks to see what else inspires them!”

Residents and family enjoy the meal

Residents and their families were treated to a wonderfully intimate dining experience as Connors House was transformed into a restaurant for a night.

Life is full of simple pleasures, few more pleasurable than an evening spent dining out with family and friends. Our residents all know the importance of simple pleasures, but for some who can’t move as easily, those pleasures are not so simple anymore.

With that in mind, staff at Connors House decided to bring the restaurant to the residents. In the days leading up to the event residents, friends and families booked their tables at the exclusive eatery, and chose options from the specially designed set menus.

On the evening itself, delighted residents

were led to the activity centre, which had been converted into an authentic restaurant setting for the evening. Seated at tables adorned with flowers and candles and surrounded by their loved ones, they were treated to a sumptuous three course meal served by the ever-friendly Connors House staff.

Dishes included deep fried Brie, chicken stuffed with Parma ham and feta cheese, and cheesecake with a summer fruits topping.

Praise for the evening was universal, with guests commending the food, service and atmosphere. Several even sent in cards afterwards expressing their thanks! The residents were also effusive. As one resident, Olive, put it (after a glass or two of red wine it must be said): “This is the best night I’ve had all year!”

Around the homes

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Bon appétit!

For more images of our home’s events across Kent visit:

www.facebook.com/abbeyfieldkentthe AKS times - www.abbeyfieldkent.org

Residents enjoying their ice cream

It may be chilly and our summer is officially over, but that didn’t stop our residents from St Martins residential care home in Larkfield, Maidstone, visiting the beach.

Staff at the care home decided to soak up the last of the sunshine and treat the residents to a day at Herne Bay, which of course included indulging in ice cream by the sea and some traditional fish and chips. Residents and staff also spent quite a lot of time in the local casino, placing their bets and trying their luck with the different machines.

A fantastic time was had by all, the staff enjoying the ice cream even more than the residents.

Jan Moulton, St Martins home manager commented: “The residents were very pleased when they heard we were off to Herne Bay for the day and they were all buzzing with excitement. It was tremendous to be able to see them enjoying the day and it was great to see them in the Casino. Everyone had a wonderful time and we were so lucky with the weather.”

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It is never too late in the year for a day by the beach

Around the homes


Talking point

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Christmas crackers?After Easter, Christmas is the most important time of year for most Christians celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. There are lots of arguments about the Christmas story in terms of its factual accuracy but such discussions are not hugely important to many people: the fact that Christ was born at all is enough for those who believe that He was sent by God to redeem the sins of mankind; sins that began with the end of innocence in the Garden of Eden as described in Genesis.

There have been many changes in 2,000 years including how we celebrate Christ’s arrival among us. And, of course, Christmas is celebrated in many different ways according to the traditions of country, culture and even family.

Christmas is perhaps the only surviving essentially Christian festival that is widely participated in on an almost global basis by non-Christians, too. Even those with no faith will willingly get involved even if they have only a scant idea how the whole thing originated or what its significance is for millions of believers around the world.

At least that’s how it looks on the surface.

But, underneath the apparent celebration of the birth of Jesus, the festival called Christmas is also an end of year, mid-winter (in the northern hemisphere, anyway) celebration at the darkest time of the year much more akin to the ancient pagan festival of Yule when people made sacrifices to their gods to ensure the arrival of spring rather than face perpetual winter.

It’s fair to say that the non-Christians’ celebration of Christmas is more in sync with the pagan festival than the events of

Bethlehem two millennia ago. It has been said, too, that, in the same way that the early Christians built their churches on the old temples – to associate the new with the values of the old – those same early evangelists encouraged the belief that Christ’s birth was at the same time of year as those older, more unsophisticated religious events. For reasons already given, it really matters little if this is true or not.

From a Christian perspective, the association might not be a comfortable one, but that link is potentially very important because of the possibility that a non-believer may become interested in the “real” meaning of Christmas, and so begin a journey toward real faith. Even if just one person makes that transition, many would say the rest of the commercialism and exploitation, the tinsel and madness and the over-indulgence that is the hallmark of a non-Christian Christmas, would be worth it.

So, have yourself a peaceful Christmas and a cool Yule: you never know where it all might lead!


Our homes in KentResidential homesConnors HouseCraddock Road, Canterbury CT1 1YP01227 769774

Dene HolmDeneholm Road, Northfleet, Gravesend DA11 8JY01474 567532

Edward Moore HouseTrinity Road, Gravesend DA12 1LX01474 321360

Greensted16 The Orpines, Wateringbury, Maidstone ME18 5BP01622 813106

Rogers HouseDrewery Drive, Wigmore, Gillingham ME8 0NX01634 262266

St MartinsMartin Square, Larkfield, Aylesford ME20 6QJ01732 842628

Stangrove LodgeManor House Gardens, Edenbridge TN8 5EG01732 864975

The DynesNightingale Road, Kemsing, Sevenoaks TN15 6RU01959 523834

WoodgateTudeley Lane, Tonbridge TN11 0QJ01732 350952

Extra care schemeWatling CourtIfield Way, Gravesend, DA12 5BP01474 352201

Supported housingDrewery DriveWigmore, Gillingham ME8 0NX01634 364375

Margaret Fisher House30 Old Kent Road, Paddock Wood, Tonbridge TN12 6JD01892 834550

Northwood Road59 Northwood Road, Tankerton, Whitstable CT5 2HA01227 771310

Old Tovil Road105 Old Tovil Road, Maidstone ME15 6QE01622 677793

St Mary’s15 The Glebefield, Riverhead TN13 3DR01732 460545

Contact details

The Abbeyfield Kent Society

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0800 112 3166

For all home enquiries call us today on:

Speak to a member of our staff for more information, or book a free

sample stay.


YOUR ABBEYFIELD

NEEDS

YOU!

Volunteer for us and make a difference today!

Tel: 01634 723007

Or visit www.abbeyfieldkent.org

For more information on becoming a volunteer for The Abbeyfield Kent Society

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The Abbeyfield Kent Society

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Newletter - Issue 3 2012