The Charlotte Straker Project mourns the passing of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth. The whole of our community remembers, with great appreciation and affection, the service she has given. Those of our residents who celebrated their 100th birthdays were always overjoyed to receive her telegram of congratulations. Her steadfast faith, lived out in a life of selfless duty, has been inspirational and she has been a constant and reassuring presence as our longest reigning monarch. We send the greatest condolences to the Royal Family in their time of loss. We will be spending the next few days remembering and celebrating her reign. May she rest in peace.
The Charlotte Straker Project is taking part in the prestigious AFRI-c study funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research and being conducted by the Trials Department at the University of Bristol. The trial is also working in conjunction with the UK Health Security Agency, to research and develop understanding of the impact of air filters on respiratory infections (coughs, colds, flu and Covid19) in care home residents.
Respiratory infections can be spread when people breathe-in or swallow droplets containing germs which are produced when people cough or sneeze. Currently, infection control mainly relies on reducing the spread of germs by keeping floors and surfaces clean, washing hands, wearing gloves, and wearing face coverings. . It is believed that air filters can help remove germs from the air and their use is becoming more widespread in medical and care settings.
The research study will allocate care homes taking part in the AFRI-c study into one of two groups. One group will be provided with air filters to use as well as their usual infection measures (air filter group). The other group will carry on using their usual infection control measures (usual control care group). Scientists will then compare data collected about infections in each group to find out whether air filters prevent respiratory infections. As yet, we do not know if Charlotte Straker House will be allocated to the air filter or control care group. This process will be completed via anonymised and randomised computer programme.
Pam Crawley, our Registered Manager commented “This research study is very important, due to the seriousness of respiratory infections, including Covid-19, in the elderly, and we are delighted to have the opportunity to take part. As yet, we do not know if our care home is allocated to the air filter or control group, but the fact that our residents are able to take part in this vital study will be critical to gaining knowledge to inform best practice in future years. We will be liaising with all our residents and their relatives to gain their consent for the data to be collected and to explain the significance and future impact of the research.”
Corbridge Apple Juice Appeal: Can you spare an hour or two between 9am and 4pm on Saturday October 1 or Sunday October 2 to help with the 2022 Community Apple Pressing weekend at Corbridge Cricket Club? Volunteers are needed to help with washing, pulping and pressing apples to provide juice. No previous experience necessary. The aim is to produce even more cans of delicious Corbridge Sparkling Apple Juice than last year to be sold in aid of Charlotte Straker, Corbridge Youth Initiative and Corbridge Community Partnership. Hadrian Border Brewery will again provide the cans of apple juice at cost price. If you can help, please contact John Maude at: johnmaude100@gmail.com / 07791 590814.
If you have apples to donate to the project please leave them on the veranda at the front of the old pavilion at Corbridge Cricket Club from Monday September 26th onwards up to and including the Community Apple Pressing Weekend on Oct 1 and 2.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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!
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. 
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
The Charlotte Straker Project
Charlotte Straker, Cookson Close
Corbridge, NE45 5HB
01434 633999
office@charlottestraker.org.uk
