We were especially grateful to Beeding Primary school for inviting us along again this year to their Harvest Festival service, those residents who attended had a wonderful time hearing some new songs and watching the children perform.

Several of the children who took part came to Valerie Manor the next day with some Harvest Festival offerings, which the residents really appreciated.

Thank you to all concerned at the school.

I was honoured this week as while our office manager Alan was on leave I was able to drive the Jalopy to attend a skittles tournament at another local care home. Nick Peniston-Bird, who visits us on a regular basis with his Skittles Alley, suggested the tournament as the residents of both homes have such a lovely time when he visits.

We were greeted at the other home by their activities co-ordinator and home administrator who made us feel extremely welcome. Along with our group of keen residents, we took three care staff along as well as our own activities co-ordinator (mum, Robin) and had a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon, with three rounds of skittles per person followed by afternoon tea and cakes.

All the residents participating received a gold medal which I think the staff were extremely jealous of! We plan to have other events and return the gesture by inviting residents and staff to Valerie Manor to enjoy a tournament here as well.

Many thanks to Nick for such a great event, and to our skittles challenge care home for their kind hospitality.

We returned to Shoreham Lifeboat station with some residents who were eager to have a look around. Our guide again was Martin, who did his usual excellent tour. One resident asked if she could try on some of the kit, and so we all had a go!!

We are, as always very grateful to Martin for all his time, and would continue to encourage you to pay them a visit whenever you can.

We returned to a favourite Sussex beauty spot recently for one of our outings, and we all agreed on such a beautiful clear day Devils Dyke gives an excellent opportunity to view Mid Sussex to the North! – It has to be said as well, the ice creams available there were very refreshing too!

Our local Community are just so kind – St Peters Church have a monthly tea party which the residents have been invited to each month. Unfortunately our office manager Alan was not able to take the residents this week, but Mary from St Peters and her friends came to the rescue and kindly came to pick up 7 of our residents and 3 staff to enjoy the afternoon with the local community. It was lovely to have home-made cakes and biscuits and enjoy the company of others. The residents thoroughly enjoyed a walk around the Church as well.

Thank you so much to Mary and the local community for making it another special afternoon for the residents of Valerie Manor.

At long last we have been able to commence our trips to have a tour around the new lifeboat station at Shoreham by Sea. The invitation came from a previous Valerie Manor resident’s family who are involved heavily in the Station. The weather was set fair as we left the Manor and headed down to the Station, where we were greeted by Martin, who was to be our tour guide – and what an excellent guide he was! – We were taken onto the viewing level and saw the new lifeboat “RNLB Enid Collett” up close and fired questions at Martin which he answered easily. We were then taken down to the lower level and saw the underside of the boat, where Martin explained how the boat was launched. We then headed into the changing area where we saw the different kit and then finally onto see the ‘inshore boat’.

A huge thank you is due not only to Martin for his excellent tour, and Ton & Julie for the kind invitation, but also to everyone involved in providing such a valuable service, which is 100% funded by charitable donations.

I would thoroughly recommend a trip to take a look around the station, you are sure to learn something if you do!

Our friends at Upper Beeding School kindly invited the residents to a concert by the children, who sang songs popular during the second World War. The children had been studying this period and got into character by dressing up. To make it even more special Dame Vera Lynn was present as the children performed all the war time favourites, including It’s a Long Way to Tipperary, Pack Up Your Troubles, We’ll Meet Again and The White Cliffs of Dover. The audience were then encouraged to sing along at the end as they chose their favourites.

Following the concert some of the children mingled with the audience to talk through their project books and to serve tea & biscuits.

A big thank you to everyone involved, for such an enjoyable afternoon.