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Level 1 HowFit Certificates

Our residents have been working steadily away at the new HowFit Exercise programme and last week gained their Level 1 Certificate.
 
Ann from Age UK assessed our residents strength at the beginning of June and comes in regularly to make sure that we’re carrying out the exercises properly and to measure everyone’s improvement.
 
Our ladies and gentlemen have been doing strengthening exercises including marching, shoulder and leg raises and ankle circles. Colin said “It has made a difference. I find the shoulder and neck stretches hardest but they get a bit easier every week.” Margaret agreed and said “I can feel myself getting stronger each time I join in”.
 
Thank you to Age UK for allowing us to take part and we look forward to completing the next stage in the HowFit programme.

A wonderful Corbridge Family Fun Day

Thank you to all those who came to the very successful Corbridge Family Fun Day on Bank Holiday Monday.
The weather stayed fine, the cricket was top notch and there were lots of smiling faces!
After a hard fought match, the Corbridge Youth Initiative team won the Corbridge Charity Shield. Thank you to those volunteers who made up our team, including Peter Wood, Karen Dover and her family, Steve Betts, David Thompson, Jak Lowdon, Mike Pottage, Jamie Whelan and David Fleming.
Also thank you to those who helped on stalls, those who made cakes for the afternoon tea and the volunteers from the Tynedale Rotary and the Corbridge Sewing Bee.
All the proceeds will be split between ourselves, the Corbridge Cricket Club and the Corbridge Youth Initiative.

More visits from Tarka the therapy pooch

Tarka the Pets as Therapy pooch and her owner Carl are a regular and very welcome visitor at Charlotte Straker House. They visit each week and pop into our lounges, and individual resident rooms to make sure everyone has a chat for a pat and cuddle with the friendly dog. Tarka is a beautiful flat coated retriever and is so outgoing and approachable and we all look forward to seeing her. Carl tells us that she loves the water and in the recent warm weather likes nothing better than splashing in the river in Corbridge. John B says “I’ve always had dogs and cats at home, so I love seeing Tarka. She’s very sweet.” Eric adores Tarka and says “She’s very friendly and I love her wagging tail”. Thank you to Carl for bringing Tarka in, she is definitely becoming a very firm favourite!

PC Thompson visits Charlotte Straker House

We organised an important presentation recently on “Door Step Safety and Scam Prevention” for our residents, both those in Charlotte Straker House and those who live in the supported living bungalows in our grounds. PC Charlotte Thompson from Northumbria Police led the session, and gave reassuring hints and tips on how to recognise the different scams operating at the moment.

Some of our residents use mobile phones or iPads so it was very useful to take part in an exercise on the types of trick messages they might receive. The bungalow residents discussed what to do if they suspected a door step visitor wasn’t legitimate, and how they could call for help from our care home team.

hank you very much to PC Thompson for such an enlightening and supportive session – which definitely reassured and encouraged our residents.

A sushi sampling session

Our residents recently enjoyed a taste of Japan with a sushi sampling session. John, Margaret, Jessie, Elizabeth, Stuart and Muriel sat outside in the sunshine and our Activities Coordinator offered a variety of different nigiri and maki sushi rolls with accompanying wasabi and soy sauce and pickled ginger. John B enjoyed the samples and said “my son lives in Hong Kong so I have regularly had sushi. I really love it.” Margaret and Muriel both tasted a variety of different sushi types and especially liked the mackerel and smoked salmon rolls. Stuart really enjoyed the different types of maki rolls and the spicy wasabi sauce.  Jessie tried it and declared “it’s a very funny taste and I’m not sure I’ll have another one!” whilst Colin and Elizabeth weren’t impressed either. Elizabeth said “The taste is a bit wishy-washy and it’s not really my thing.” It was definitely a coffee morning with a difference!

Sun, sea and sand at Tynemouth Beach

We made an exciting trip out this month – to the sunny seaside! On a very warm summer’s day a team of carers, volunteers and residents took the minibus to Tynemouth Longsands to enjoy the sea air and experience a day at the beach.

Our residents Colin, Margaret, John, Jessie, Joyce and Mary had visited the seaside many times in their younger years, and they swapped stories as they took a stroll along the prom, ate an icecream and watched the crowds sunbathing and splashing in the water.

To top things off, residents and the home team enjoyed a delicious fish and chip meal with a view of the seafront.

Margaret said: “I thoroughly enjoyed the whole day out, I particularly liked looking at the scenery on the trip down. It’s too hard to pick my favourite moment as it was all so lovely.”

John added: “It was a very warm day and it was wonderful to enjoy the sea breeze and smell the sea air.”

Jayne, our Activities Coordinator commented, “Our day trip to Tynemouth was a great success, the weather was beautiful and there’s no doubt we’ll still be talking about it for weeks to come. It was incredibly rewarding for the team to see just how happy our ladies and gentlemen were to be near the sea again – their smiles said it all. Thank you to the staff members and volunteers who made the day such a success”

It’s wonderful that we are now able to take our residents on trips outside our home, but we are finding it increasingly difficult to access wheelchair friendly transport. If there is anyone in the community who can help or suggest some solution please do get in touch with our office on 01434 633 999 or email office@charlottestraker.org.uk. Many thanks.

Celebrating two birthdays!

We celebrated two birthdays last week – Pat R had her 93rd birthday and loved the delicious chocolate cake made by our kitchen team. We made sure she opened all her presents and cards and she enjoyed blowing out the candles on her cake.
 
Colin celebrated his 89th birthday with a cake, cards and presents. Our kitchen team made him his favourite sponge cake, and he blew out the candles, whilst enjoying a glass of his favourite tipple. He enjoyed opening his present from the Charlotte Straker team – a special “birthday shirt” which he says is “very smart – thank you!”
 
Happy birthday to both Pat and Colin from us all at Charlotte Straker House 

VLUU L310 W / Samsung L310 W

VLUU L310 W / Samsung L310 W

Family Fun and Cricket Day – 29th August 2022

The Family Fun Day is returning this year at the Corbridge Cricket Club on Monday 29th August from 12.30 pm onwards.

Three charity teams will be battling it out for the Corbridge Cricket trophy and there will be stalls, afternoon tea, live singing, a full bar, a BBQ and plenty of games and a bouncy castle to keep the little ones occupied.

All monies will be split between the three local charities – ourselves, the Corbridge Youth Initiative and the Corbridge Cricket Club.

If you have any books, tombola or raffle prizes we would be very grateful if they could be left in the summer house in Charlotte Straker grounds.

Also, we would be very grateful for any savoury or sweet bakes and cakes and these can be left on Sunday 28th August between 1pm & 3pm in the Charlotte Straker summer house. (All ingredients need to be listed on the baked goods – thank you).

A visit to Dobbie’s Garden Centre

A group of our residents visited Dobbies Garden Centre in Ponteland last week accompanied by our volunteers, carers and a nurse.

Dobbie’s is always extremely kind and welcoming to our group visits and this time was no exception. We had a delicious lunch in the quieter part of the cafe, and then had a great time looking at the plants, flowers, fish and home wares.

Margaret said “I really enjoyed browsing through the clothes and accessories. I love looking at the new fashion and styles.” John and Colin spent time looking through the different plants and flowers for sale and Muriel said “I’m not buying anything in particular, it’s just lovely being out and about!”

Thank you to all our volunteers and members of staff who accompanied our residents plus the wonderful members of team at Dobbie’s – we’ll definitely be back later on in the year to see their famous Christmas displays.

Thank you to Tracy for her care and commitment

Our Registered Manager Pam Crawley presented Tracy Richardson, a Care Assistant at Charlotte Straker House, with a bouquet of flowers yesterday to thank her for going above and beyond in her day to day role.
Pam said “We want to thank Tracy for the outstanding care and commitment she gives to her role as a Care Assistant at Charlotte Straker. Tracy is dedicated to her role and is often heard encouraging residents and staff with kind words in her day to day duties. Tracy also consistently goes above and beyond, giving her own time up to go shopping for residents, should they wish or need anything from clothes, to toiletries or that special bar of chocolate they prefer. Nothing is too much trouble for Tracy, as she loves helping and supporting our residents.”
Thank you to Tracy from our senior management team as well as our Board of Trustees!