We were very lucky to be able to welcome the Clever Cavaliers to Valerie Manor this week. The Dog display team is run by Dee and her friends who put on quite a performance for everyone!

Before the show started the dogs and handlers mingled with residents, family members and staff to let the dogs get comfortable in the new surroundings. It was then on with the show, which included playing instruments, answering telephones, playing football & flyball, boxing and many other very clever activities.

The residents really enjoyed the morning and we hope to invite them back again soon, however they are so popular that they are booked up until the end of 2014!!!

Our thanks to Dee and her Team and not forgetting all of the performing artists.

As you know we like to have a variety of activities on offer and we recently welcomed Steve from Horsham Council back to introduce us to ‘New Age Curling’. The idea is to enjoy Curling indoors – but without the ice!

Everyone had a couple of practices and then the competition began – everyone was very quick to pick up this new skill and I think it won’t be long before we’ll be Curling in the conservatory again!

Our thanks to Steve again for another excellent session.

As you know we like to offer a large variety of activities to our residents, and recently we were asked to provide some word searches by a resident. Our Activities Coordinator Robin wasted no time in supplying these and Gemma handed them out and suggested maybe awarding a prize to the resident who identified the most words.

Well! – this got everyone’s competitive nature flowing and it was “heads down and looking!”

Gemma collected the entries and is pictured here with our champion!

Well done to everyone who took part, and keep those suggestions coming.

2013 sees the start of our new year activities schedule, which includes all of the favourites and some new ones. Already this year we have enjoyed visits from our good friends Nick with his skittles alley and Kerrie who teaches B-Balance – which helps residents exercise in a way which also aids falls prevention.

We have also teamed up with Steve from Leisure Link, who provided a regular table tennis session last year, and he will be attending regularly throughout the year with a variety of games and activities.

We have really been spoilt this week and a big thank you to Reverend Challis for his Christmas service on Thursday morning, and bringing a wonderful choir along on Friday for our annual Carol concert.

Both events were, as usual, very well attended, and thoroughly enjoyed by residents and staff alike. It was particularly nice to see so many children come along and take part as well.

Afterwards we served mulled wine and mince pies and enjoyed hearing about the choirs plans for Christmas.

Thanks again to everyone for their kindness and time.

Well, we are really in the Christmas mood as we welcomed the Towers School choir this week for their annual Carol Concert at Valerie Manor. The Choir was made up of members of the drama and music club who have already performed several concerts including singing at the Holmbush Centre where they raised money for the homeless.

We all assembled in the conservatory (with a glass of sherry) and joined in with all the favourites – Oh Come All Ye Faithfull, Once in Royal David’s City, to name a couple. The choir was fantastic and the residents and staff thoroughly enjoyed themselves. One resident pleaded for ‘just one more please?’ and they gladly obliged.

We provided the choir and teachers with mince pies and drinks for their efforts and took some photos of the girls with our very appreciative residents.

Once again many thanks to our friends at the Towers, who every year help make Christmas at Valerie Manor so very special.