Friends of One Tower Bridge Road

Since Covid, the routines have changed the way people volunteer in care homes. Alongside this so have many of the people: both staff and volunteers.

These all combine to make people feel a little uncertain about elements of their volunteering at some point or another.

While there has always been the opportunity for one-to-one contact with Attend by contacting Sona at sona.sladkova@attend.org.uk we are now looking at another way for our volunteers to gain more support.

On the first Tuesday of every month, we will be holding open zoom sessions for any volunteer to catch up. These will be at 2pm. If you would like to join the call, email sona.sladkova@attend.org.uk to be added to the zoom invite.

Margaret said although life in the home during the pandemic was difficult, before lockdown she loved attending coffee mornings and events when the residents had the opportunity to travel out of the home. Many of these events were made possible by the Friends of One Tower Bridge Road. While living in the care home, Margaret formed a close relationship with Paulette, the home’s Wellbeing Co-Ordinator.

During Margaret’s seven years at One Tower Bridge Road, she was working with the council to be able to move into a flat. She said although there were upsides to living in the care home, Margaret always hoped to move out if she was ever able to. Finally, about six months ago her wishes came true as the council were able to purchase an accessible ground floor flat for Margaret to move into.

Since moving out, Margaret said she has loved being able to do things for herself including cooking, baking cakes and spending time in her front and back gardens. She said she is already looking forward to the summer when the weather is warmer, and it will be possible to barbecue in the garden. Overall, life has been good for Margaret recently and she has not found it too difficult living in her flat. More than anything, she is thrilled to have the chance to do things on her own that she might not have been able to at Tower Bridge.

Margaret said one thing that has not changed much since moving out of the care home is her relationship with Paulette. “She’s a good friend of mine, she’s very good to me,” she said. The women clearly hold a close bond and have kept in contact since Margaret’s move. Paulette even delivers mail to Margaret’s flat when it is sent to One Tower Bridge Road.

Even though she does not live there anymore, another way Margaret has stayed involved with the care home is through being a member of the Friends of One Tower Bridge Road committee. She was on the committee as a resident and said she joined the group so that she could support the community she lived in. The Friends committees always look for ways to incorporate staff and residents into their work to ensure they are supporting the home in the best possible ways. The Friends of One Tower Bridge Road make many valuable contributions to the home, including providing stock for the trolley for residents from toiletries to sweets and drinks. As a member of the committee, Margaret helped make decisions on how best to stock the trolley. She was particularly consulted when one of her favorite drinks, Appletiser, was no longer available to purchase and helped to decide the best possible replacement.

Since moving into her flat, Margaret has stayed on the committee to continue to support the community and the friends she met while living at One Tower Bridge Road.

“Good things happened to me, so I like to give back,” Margaret said.

While she has not as done much with the group since leaving the home, Margaret said she wants to do whatever she can to serve her community. She said anything they ask her to do, she will be so glad to help with. Margaret’s giving spirit is strong and it is clear she holds a lot of love for her community. She said she likes to give back in whatever ways she can and volunteers at a local food bank in addition to her work with the home. Margaret has also enjoyed the community-based events the committee has held recently. She said she loved going to a Christmas lunch with the group and enjoying a meal together.

Years ago, when Paulette Dixon’s mother suffered a stroke and had to move into One Tower Bridge Care Home, the then bank-worker was quickly inspired by the efforts of the staff. Since then, Paulette has been a Wellbeing Co-ordinator at One Tower Bridge for nearly 17 years. Paulette said she thought upon seeing the work others were doing, “what a wonderful thing if you can help somebody, what a wonderful rewarding thing,” and only wishes now that she had come into the role sooner. When her mother passed away, Paulette said many people asked her if she would be able to continue working in the home, but she said because there were so many people she loved who needed her there, she could not imagine stopping. 

As a Wellbeing Co-ordinator, Paulette has many different roles. She works to organise large events for residents and resources like the sweets and toiletries trolley, and she finds ways to connect with residents who are unable to participate in large group activities. The current approach to wellbeing at One Tower Bridge is person-centered, meaning Wellbeing Co-ordinators and volunteers try to find ways to connect with individual residents. Paulette said identifying resident’s interests can be extremely difficult, but also very rewarding, especially when working with residents who have difficulty communicating.  

 “When you see somebody’s eyes just get that light, you think ‘got it!’ and we can work on it,” Paulette said of identifying residents’ interests. She said it’s so important because even residents who have difficulty communicating may have a strong mental presence that lets them understand a conversation, you can’t just expect them to listen to what you like.  

Paulette said the role of volunteers, and the support from the Friends of One Tower Bridge are invaluable. At any time there may be as many as 5 or as few as 2 Wellbeing Co-ordinators working in the home; with 126 residents, this means it can be difficult to connect with each resident every day and make sure they get the support they need. Paulette said the more volunteers there are in the home, the more opportunities residents have to experience one to one connection and conversation. Volunteers can help residents alleviate boredom and build meaningful connections with a wider community of people. 

Volunteers “give the residents more of a chance to build up a friendship with somebody else other than a member of staff,” Paulette said. Living in a care home can be extremely isolating, and it is important for residents to build multiple connections with different people. 

“Volunteers bring the outside in and make their world a bit bigger in the home,” Paulette said. 

In addition to mentally making residents’ world’s bigger, it is also the efforts of volunteers that allow more residents to get out and leave the home on Thursday coffee outings. While they may have any role on a given day, Paulette said volunteers are always happy to assist however they can. 

Residents also notice and appreciate the presence of volunteers in the home. Paulette said one resident who is 96 years old regularly asks after the wellbeing of a volunteer they have formed a connection with and questions when the volunteer will be able to come into the care home to visit. 

Aside from volunteers, Paulette said further help from the Friends has made all the difference in the home, particularly with stocking the toiletries and sweets trolley for residents. During the pandemic, relatives of residents were unable to bring in the toiletries they desperately needed and at that time donated toiletries were essential. The trolley remains extremely important for many residents who don’t have family even as One Tower Bridge has opened back up to the public.  

“You can’t treat people with dignity and respect if you can’t keep them clean, really, so that’s a massive help,” Paulette said. 

Paulette said the toiletries get used up very quickly because there is such a need for them, and all the residents love getting a sweet or piece of chocolate off the trolley as well.  

“It’s a wonderful thing they do, and I’m so grateful on behalf of all the residents for the volunteers,” Paulette said. 

People often don’t realise how difficult it can be for residents living in a care home to satisfy some of their basic needs, especially for those residents who have no living relatives.

Essential items like toiletries are often in great need for residents like this because there is no one to bring the items into the home or to bring residents out to get them.

In order to meet this need, Friends of One Tower Bridge Road were able to purchase shampoos, shower gels, deodorants and razors for the home.

Although Friends of One Tower Bridge Road purchase toiletries regularly, residents and staff still greatly appreciate the ongoing support from the Friends.

Everyone loves receiving chocolates and sweets as a gift, it is a small gesture that makes a person feel appreciated and can brighten up someone’s day or even week.

When Friends of One Tower Bridge Road purchased chocolates and sweets for the care home, the residents were extremely thankful.

Living in a care home means many residents are unable to go out and buy essential items or small luxuries, making gifts that others might take for granted even more special and appreciated. Residents were grateful for the gifts of chocolates and sweets.

Toiletries are something every person needs; residents of One Tower Bridge Road Care Home are no different.

Care home residents are not able to go out on their own and buy toiletries and for those with no family, this may even mean they will go without these items.

The Friends of One Tower Bridge Road were recently able to provide these essential items to support the home, including shampoos, shower gel, deodorants, razor blades and shaving foams.

Along with toiletries, the Friends were able to purchase two hairdryers and two men’s hair clippers for the residents. These donations were much appreciated by everyone.

Friends of One Tower Bridge are very grateful for receiving funding of £1000 from Arnold Clark Community Fund. The money will be used for bringing the community together and delivering activities such as the trolley service run by volunteers, garden activities, musical events and special occasions such as Easter, Halloween or Christmas celebrations.

Residents of One Tower Bridge Road Care Home were thrilled to celebrate the momentous occasion that was the Queens platinum jubilee.

To help residents and staff enjoy the day, Friends of One Tower Bridge Road purchased items for the celebration.

One item purchased by the friends was a cut out of the Queen for decoration and photo opportunities for the party. Residents and staff of One Tower Bridge Road were extremely grateful to the Friends for purchasing these gifts and everyone had a really good time celebrating the platinum jubilee.

Although the lockdown brought even more attention to the needs of residents in care homes, the end of lockdown does not mean that donations of products like toiletries are not appreciated by residents.

For many residents, even when visits to the care home are permitted, they do not have loved ones to bring them the items they may need.

For some people, the only way to get personal hygiene products is through donations to the home. The Friends of One Tower Bridge Road were able to purchase more toiletries — including shampoos, shower gels, deodorants and razors.

Friends of One Tower Bridge Road were delighted they could once again purchase toiletries and goodies to stock the trolley at the care home. Alongside both sweet and savoury treats, the stock included toiletries such as deodorants, shower gels and shampoos. Residents have been enjoying the items and the service in general.

Friends have been able to stock the trolley regularly for the past 2 years, in which the service proved ever so helpful. It was important to stay by the residents’ side during such challenging times, and it’s great to be able to continue helping them now that things are getting better.

Friends of One Tower Bridge Road are delighted to announce they’ve received £500 from the Merchant Taylors Foundation. The money will go towards the charity’s general running costs.

Financial help from foundations like Merchant Taylors is essential, as it allows the Friends to continue supporting the care home. It means being able to work towards improving residents’ life at One Tower Bridge Road. Whether it’s a trolley service, gardening activities, musical events, or day-to-day support, the Friends’ goal is for residents to receive the care they need while also having something to look forward to.

Thanks again to Merchant Taylors Foundation for the help.

The Friends of One Tower Bridge Road are pleased to announce they have received a £5,000 grant from the Francis Winham Foundation. The money will be used for the trolley service and to buy treats for special occasions.

Residents find the trolley service very helpful; it allows them to purchase essential goods, sweets and gifts. The “shop on wheels” is also an opportunity for residents to converse with staff and volunteers. Although volunteers haven’t been able to go inside the care home due to the pandemic, Friends have been happy to continue contributing with supplies for the staff to keep the service up and running.

Funds from Francis Winham will help with that, while we hope things can go back to normal as soon as possible. In the meanwhile, Friends will also use the money to buy residents treats for any special occasions, like festivities, etc., to try and make them feel less isolated and remind them they’re not alone.

Tim is the Store Manager of Co op’s Tower Bridge branch, which is only a few minutes walk from the care home. He has years of experience working for the organisation, and he has run different stores in and out of London before arriving in the Bermondsey area roughly eighteen months ago. Last December, when one of his colleagues told him about the Friends of One Tower Bridge Road, Tim decided to reach out. They were keen to help people in the area, and with Christmas on the way, it was the perfect time to start. “The nurses and the carers at the Tower Bridge care home had done just a phenomenal job over the past year, keeping everyone safe, and it must’ve been really really difficult, so we just wanted to do a little something to say thank you,” Tim says.

Throughout the year, Co op runs several programmes about connecting with the neighbourhoods. Tim took advantage of this to gather funds. The Friends could use the money to buy drinks and crisps, fruit, mince pies, and Christmas cards for both residents and staff. Although they could not go inside, Tim and the team dressed up in their Christmas jumpers and went along with the Friends to collect the items and take them to the care home. “We knew it wasn’t going to be a normal year,” he says. “So it was an opportunity to help them enjoy Christmas and the festivity of it.”

Tim came to know more about the world of care homes through his granddad’s experience. He and his family had been looking for a place that felt comfortable and ensured the best possible care — this sparked in Tim a new awareness of the importance of care homes. He sincerely appreciated the service and support that his granddad received. “The relationship that they had built up was as strong as any that you can ever hope for,” Tim explains. The experience contributed to his will to give back. He remembered having a conversation with the Friends about the difficulties that managing toiletries for residents can present. Therefore, in June, he took advantage of Co op’s programmes once again to help acquire them. Friends could buy a mixture of essential items such as soaps, toothbrushes, shaving foams, deodorants, etc. — something hugely beneficial, especially for residents who don’t have families or anyone else to support them.

As Tim explains, there was an actual overlap between the work of the Tower Bridge care home and the Friends and the work that Co op is looking to support. Care homes play an essential role in looking after people who don’t have assistance and are on the fringe. Friends do a just as important job, supporting care homes and filling in what is missing. Coop is looking to help thrive such realities while encouraging its staff to develop a deeper understanding of what goes on in their surroundings. “I feel that that really matched out well with our values of caring for one another and for supporting stronger communities,” Tim says.

Tim is now keen to continue helping out. He hugely appreciates the invitation to join the Friends committee, from whom he has learnt a lot, he says; and which will allow him to bring his energy and enthusiasm while getting some interesting insights. The Friends of One Tower Bridge Road appreciate his and Co op’s help just as much. Such collaboration will help both connecting even more profoundly with the people around them, in a sentence: caring for the community.

The Friends of Tower Bridge Care Home are really grateful to their local Co-op for generous donations of toiletries. These included shower gel, soap deodorant and shaving items.  Big thank you to Tim and the team for helping us out with much needed items for residents.

The residents of One Tower Bridge Care Home were delighted to receive goodies such as sweets and crisps from Friends. These little treats brighten up their days in lockdown.

The Friends of Tower Bridge were delighted to purchase another batch of toiletries such as shampoos, shower gels, razor blades and shaving foams. Due to the continuous pandemic situation the home is often running out of toiletries, so the residents really appreciate any help on this.

The Friends of Tower Bridge Care Home are really grateful to local Co-op for generous donations of drinks, mince pies, crisps, fruit and Christmas cards for residents and staff. Big thank you to Tim and the team.

The Friends of Tower Bridge Care Home would like to say big thank you  to Redeem Christian Church for generous donations of toiletries for residents.

The Friends of One Tower Bridge Care Home are delighted to receive 10 Amazon Echo Dots, which will provide entertainment for residents and ease their isolation in the current times.

We are delighted that Paulette and Maria are taking this on for now, and so we have restocked it totally. Realising friends and family may not be able to visit as often, we also put a lot of extras on which will bring a few smiles.

Additionally, the friends were also able to donate a huge pile of toiletries to give to those residents that are running out.

Thank you to everyone that helped make this possible.

The Friends of  One Tower Bridge Care Home would like to say big Thank You to Tesco for receiving the funding from Tesco Bags of Help COVID-19 Communities Fund for £500.

The fund was used to purchase toiletries for the residents and this is highly appreciated by residents and the staff.

The money will go towards  the toiletries such as shampoos, shower gels, razor blades, shaving creams  and hair brushes. The residents really feel cared about and appreciate this help very much.

We hope you are keeping well and safe in these difficult times.

We have been speaking to Friends of One Tower Bridge Road Care Home (Southwark, London , SE1 4TR) and the residents are really missing the fun that volunteers bring to their lives.

However there is another way you might like to consider helping until things get back to the way things were.

Many residents rely on regular visitors to bring them toiletries: soap or shower gel and shampoo.  For those that don’t have visitors, staff often help out. Currently, it is impossible to keep residents supplied with all they need.

We realise that it is a challenging time for you too, but if you can spare some toiletries then you can go to the Care Home address above, ring the bell and  leave the items at the front door.

Any help on this one would be much appreciated.

Keep safe.

Kind Regards,

 Sona Sladkova

Project Administrator

Tel: 07530 699351
Email: sona.sladkova@attend.org.uk
Web: www.attend.org.uk

Dear Care Home Friend,

In less than a month it feels like everything has changed. As I was looking at my diary for March, we had committee meetings planned for most homes, and lots of volunteers on the brink of starting. I did get to a Dementia Cafe in very early March but within days we were having to look at everything differently.

In all homes, we have no volunteers going in. Understandably, most care homes won’t even allow families to visit residents except in very extenuating circumstances.

We regularly hear from volunteers who want to help, to continue to do something to support the residents and staff of the home that they are supporting. If any of you have any thoughts about something volunteers might practically do, please let us know.

So what are we doing? The King’s Fund, where our offices are located, shut down  at very  short notice. The last few hours looked a bit like we are passengers on the Titanic grabbing the essentials for an unknown period in the lifeboats. At this point, the care homes support team are all set up to work from home.

You may continue to hear from Sona who is totally reviewing and updating all our records relating to volunteers. We are contacting some as part of the process. Also we are continuing to have regular enquiries from people who want to get involved once we come out the other side of this current situation. We are processing their applications, taking up references etc.

Alongside this Said and Kim are getting the financial records up to date. Today is the last day of the care home groups financial year, so there is plenty to do to prepare the draft accounts.

Alongside this we are continuing to look for funders who might support the projects you have told us you would like to do.

So, while perhaps less physically present, we are continuing to work hard to ensure these projects are in the best position they can be, once we return to practical day to day volunteering in the homes.

Once again, if you have any ideas on what else we might do now, do get in touch. In the meantime, do stay safe and well.

With very best wishes

Nichole Wheaton

Head of Projects Delivery
Tel: 020 7307 2570
Email: nichole.wheaton@attend.org.uk
Web: www.attend.org.uk
Online shop: www.buy.at/attend

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Three years ago, Luis moved to England, leaving his grandparents behind in Brazil. The distance between him and his grandparents made it hard for Luis, especially because his grandfather has been experiencing health issues. “It frustrates me to know that I can’t physically be there to take care of him,” Luis confessed. He said he has always enjoyed caring for others and says that he “can’t imagine how hard it must be for those who have no one to support them.” Luis’ passion for volunteering with the elderly comes from his desire to help people like his grandfather. He said he wants to improve their lives even if it’s in the smallest of ways.

After only two months of volunteering, Luis feels very pleased about his role. “I am happy to have found a place where I can get a perspective of the environment of a care home,” he said. When asked about what inspired him to volunteer, he replied, “I saw the description of the role, it had everything that I wanted to get involved in. I saw that this was an opportunity I didn’t want to miss out on.”

No matter how busy his schedule might be, Luis said that he remains organised, and always finds time to volunteer. “My school ends earlier than usual on Thursdays, which makes it easier for me to get to the care home.” Luis said he feels relieved about his timetable because he can be in the care home on time, ready to get started. “This volunteering experience has made me more active because it’s given me something useful to do.”

He enjoys speaking with the residents and getting involved in different activities. One Saturday, he was involved with preparing for an event. He said that the day was enjoyable and expressed how he was delighted to have experienced something new. “I was glad Maria (the Activities Co-Ordinator) was there to help me throughout the day because everything was new to me, but I am happy that everyone enjoyed themselves, and everything went smoothly.”

When he is not volunteering with Tower Bridge, Luis is revising for his BMAT – a test he has to take to get into medicine. He says “After seeing what it’s like to volunteer at Tower Bridge care home, it has further motivated me to continue pursuing my goal to become a doctor. The experience, so far, has confirmed my passion for making people feel happier.” Sometimes, revising can feel stressful, but as a way to take a breather, Luis has pursuits such as playing football and playing the guitar. At the care home, he doesn’t shy away from getting involved with the music and dancing. One memory that stands out to him was when he offered his hand out to a resident in a wheelchair and supported her as they danced together while the music played; seeing her smile, immediately made his day.

Luis said he is thankful for his friend, who introduced him to Friends of One Tower Bridge Road. “When my friend told me about the Friends, I quickly went on their website to see what they were about. I saw the many volunteering opportunities they had to offer.” He added, “To those who are like me, and enjoy the feeling of being able to help someone, I would recommend volunteering at a care home.”

Luis continues to enjoy his time and is excited to see what’s yet to come. He said he has already shared his volunteering experience with his friends and regularly tells them how beneficial the opportunity could be for them. “I tell them about the holistic reality of what it’s like to volunteer at the home because I believe that volunteering should be something you are willing to do no matter what.”

“Despite the short amount of time I have been volunteering, it’s been heart-warming to hear the compliments the residents say about me because I never imagined such sincere reactions from them,” Luis said.

Residents and their friends and family took part in an afternoon of creativity and joy, not to mention some tea and a slice of cake!

It was a celebratory afternoon, featuring wonderful music by the Spitz. There was plenty of dancing with our friends at Tower Bridge Care Home, hosted by the artists from the Ambient Jam and Walking through Walls programme that take place there every week.”

Read more about Entelechy Arts at http://entelechyarts.org/.

For the second year in a row, the Friends were delighted to host the staff of AAR for their annual volunteering day.

Fences and garden furniture were all given a fresh coat of paint, in fact, the furniture changed colour altogether.

The staff had also spent a lot of the planting new plants in white, pinks and purples.

Although with 20 bags of compost, weeding, sweeping and lots of effort, a fantastic difference was made.

Thank you to AAR.

Rosie spent six months volunteering at both One Tower Bridge Care Home and Camberwell Green Care Home in the second half of 2015. “I took a year off work and wanted to start volunteering in my free time. I now work full time at Cancer Research UK as my experience at the care homes cemented my view that I wanted to carry on working in the charity sector,” Rosie explained. She is now on the One Tower Bridge Care Home committee as a treasurer as well as working at Cancer Research UK.

Rosie previously studied Philosophy at Nottingham University. After finishing her course, she worked as an accountant at Deloitte and later on at Mitie. She lived in Bristol for ten years, before deciding to move to London for a career change.

“I really needed a break from working in finance, so I moved to London to make some changes with my life at the end of 2014. I started travelling and in between I had loads of free time so I thought I would genuinely like to do stuff for other people,” she explained.

Through searching online for volunteering opportunities local to her, Rosie came across the Friends of Care Homes website and found that it was the right role for her. “I started the volunteering partly for myself, for my confidence. It was challenging at times but I got a lot out of it,” she revealed. Rosie visited Tower Bridge Care Home every Wednesday afternoon for around two hours before travelling to Camberwell Green Care Home and helping out there for another hour.

Rosie said she genuinely enjoyed her time volunteering at both care homes. “I have a particular interest for working with older people, growing up I would take care of my grandmother and I guess I had some sort of comfort with this role. I just really wanted to be able to play a part in brightening people’s days,” she said.

During her time there, Rosie helped the residents with manicures, make-up and hand massages. “Some people really liked that and it was a good way to start a conversation. If you don’t know how to approach one of the residents, you could simply start by asking them if they would like a manicure,” she said. Rosie said they also carried out a number of tea parties for the residents, “to encourage the residents to come out of their rooms and into the living room. They would all come around and sit in a circle. I would bring cakes along each week and serve the tea.”

Rosie had the chance to bond with the residents at the care homes and she said, “there was one particular resident who has dementia, sometimes she would get angry or confused, but she would always know who I am. Occasionally she would say the sweetest things to me like, ‘you are the only person who understands me’ and, ‘I come alive when you’re here’,”.

Being empathetic, caring and serene are some of the skills that Rosie believes are needed in order to be a good volunteer at a care home. “You do fundamentally have to want to put others before you, and to make others’ lives better, it will also improve your life as well. Genuine desire to make others’ lives better is important when working in a care home,” she stressed.

Not only did the residents benefit from Rosie’s help in the six months of her volunteering, but so did she, “I think it made me feel better about myself and made me feel like a more caring person. It is the best kind of selfishness really, it’s a win-win for both sides,” she explained.

Rosie had an unforgettable experience at both care homes, which she would highly recommend to everyone.

“You should absolutely volunteer,” she said. “It will be one of the best things you will do in your life. You will help the community and experience very magical moments. You just have to be committed and it will pay back times ten.”

Three years prior to her start in volunteering, Chloe decided to go back to college to complete her course in Health and Social Care. This gave her the confidence to go out there and make a difference in people’s lives. As she had some training during her course, she was able to easily adapt to the environment.

When she is not spending her time at the Tower Bridge Care Home, Chloe likes to sing and watch TV. While Chloe is at the care home, she talks to the residents to keep them entertained, “we go into their rooms and start to chat to them to make their day and offer them snacks time to time”. She says that she feels a connection with all the Tower Bridge residents, “I have come to form friendships with many of the residents and the people that I work with and they all love me”.

Working at a care home has brought Chloe to see her future-self working in an environment where she is able to connect with people, “whether it is caring for them or not, just a job that is people centered”.

Chloe explained that being a good listener and an empathetic person are important attributes to being an efficient volunteer. “Normally people tell me I am a good listener and I did not come to realise that until I started working at this home”.

To those who are considering volunteering at a care home, Chloe says, “go for it, it is rewarding and it helps you develop your own self”. She added, “volunteering at the care home makes me appreciate life because you do not know when you will get to that point yourself, where you do not have the strength to take care of yourself”.

In the morning, the first batch of students travelled around the home to the different lounges and dining rooms. Whilst there, they interacted with residents, helped set the tables for the residents next meals and also hung decorations which they made in school.

In the afternoon, the second batch of students were in the sunny garden providing entertainment for a large number of residents as they performed a few songs that were well known to the residents.

The homes are very grateful for 7 hours of support given by the students and staff at St Olave’s school & a teacher from the school stated “The day was brilliant. The staff were so helpful and kind to our girls and we really hope the residents got something from it”.

Several trips were taken to the garden centre to buy paint, compost, planters, trees, shrubs and plants. They took on several tasks including installing a new solar powered water feature, weeded the grounds, planted, repaired, painted and jet washed whilst interacting with residents who witnessed the remarkable work that was taking place in their home.

The AAR team worked on three areas which was the main entrance, the main resident’s garden and the residents sitting area. Before the day had begun, staff had admitted that not many residents would spend time in the garden or sitting area, but the moment the AAR team had finished there were residents already sitting in the new & improved gardens which had been injected with love.

In the picture above you can see the new water feature that has been added to the main garden. You can also see the repainted furniture behind it.

Here you can see where the back garden/sitting area has gone from empty with very few plants to having a large number of plants around along with repainted flowerbeds, chairs and benches.

Above, you can see the front garden/reception area where the flower beds had fresh, new soil added, new bark was added and two new feature plants were placed by the main entrance.

They now specialise in art forms such as dancing, singing, theatre and more, in order to increase participation across generations and cultures, enabling residents, at organisations such as Friends of Care Homes, to feel present and engaged in the world.

Three nursing homes; Alexander, Tower Bridge and Aspen Court, made an appearance at the bi-annual Elizabethan Tea Dance held at the Queens house in Greenwich on Wednesday, 11^th July 2018. Free lunch was provided, along with some ice cream on the terrace which turned out to be the highlight of the day for George, a resident from the Albany Care Home. Residents also had the chance to make new connections with the volunteers and elderly from other communities during this event.

Associate artist Christopher Green was welcomed, dressed up as Queen Elizabeth 1^st. “He is being transformed isn’t he”, one resident said, amused as Chris was turning into the Queen. The Meet Me Choir, who are part of Walking through Walls (an Entelechy Arts programme commissioned by Attend), were invited to perform at the event and were then joined by the residents of the Alexander Care Home and other Meet Me members who had the chance of helping Chris transform into the Queen.

The residents were given the opportunity to appreciate some dancing from the Elizabethan era while a harp was being played in the background. “I think I am dreaming, I haven’t woken up yet; look at that harp, haven’t seen a harp in ages. You do spoil us”, said one resident from Alexander Care.

The event allowed the residents to form new memories as well as an opportunity to reminisce about their past. Harry from Alexander Care spoke fondly of his memories, “I was here in the 1950’s! I was in the navy. There was the navy hospital (pointing). We used to walk up and down here all dressed up in our officers uniform”. Another resident, Joan, also had the chance to reconnect with her past on the journey to the event, pointing out places where she lived and used to work. She also added, “The problem with where we live is that nothing much happens, it’s lovely to go out and see something different. I used to do all of this”.

As important as reminiscing is, so is forming new memories. A volunteer stated that the Tea Dance event allowed just that and added, “new memories are important as you get older”. Although some residents had forgotten the whole event by the time they got back on the bus, they said that they had had a wonderful time and their family members had also noticed a significant difference in their mood.

Participating in interactive arts allows people to connect with those from similar marginalised communities, to feel productive and to have an active role in society. Entelechy Arts played a big role in making a positive impact on those who attended, by simply allowing the residents to be productive, which Harry would agree with, “that was great because you really feel like you’ve done something with your day”. It demonstrated the effects that interactive arts can have on those who feel excluded and help them feel a part of active society.

Robert learned about Friends of Tower Bridge via a website for volunteering opportunities, “I needed something to do. I found out about Friends and was pleasantly surprised that the care home was just round the corner.  Once I approached the care home, the staff were very good and made it a lot easier for me to fit in”, he explained.

Robert spends most of his spare time at the care home. “I feel a strong connection to the residents. I have made many friends there”, he explained. Robert takes part in the residents’ social life by going to museums and theatres or to the local café. He also comes along to the 21^st Century Tea Dance hosted twice each year by Friends of Tower Bridge Care Home and Entelechy Arts. During the event the residents, volunteers and carers get together to sing, dance and perform creating a strong sense of community and togetherness.

Robert’s educational background sparked his interest in gardening. “Gardening is a social activity”, Robert explained. “We gather the residents out in the garden and we chat about plants and things that aren’t necessarily gardening related”, he added. Engaging in outdoor activities strengthens the sense of community and helps residents get to know the volunteers and each other better. Cultivating those relationships contribute to the residents’ mental and physical well-being. After all, the flowers of tomorrow are in the seeds of yesterday.

Robert has benefitted from his volunteering experience in two ways:

• Being around and looking after people has helped Robert overcome some of the mental health problems that he faced. “I was in a bad space, but volunteering has helped me escape and find my tranquillity again”;
• It has boosted his confidence and has given Robert a sense empowerment. He sees the benefits that his input has, and also sees the appreciation from the residents.

Robert would advise any prospect volunteers to be friendly, relaxed and easy going in their role. “One may find it quite challenging but it is really satisfying to know that you have helped someone”, he explained. Robert wants to continue to volunteer and improve the lives of others and his own.

With this project, we will purchase a specialist sensory case for the elderly as a tool to exercise sensory perception. The case will include a variety of equipment for residents with dementia and those who might need some sensory stimulation.

The sensory case contains tools which will give the residents the opportunity to exercise visual, olfactory and auditory perception. Musical gloves will give the residents the opportunity to play music with ease and the fruits card game will allow them to recognise and match fragrances with fruits.

Additionally, cushions and armchair covers of various textures will constitute a tool to explore tactile perception.

The kit will be a chance to build a bridge between trained volunteers and the residents, form new meaningful relationships developed through leisure whilst simultaneously improving their physical health. Our volunteers will contribute to improving the lives of residents by exercising day-to-day tasks which involve sensory stimulation. Thanks to this project, residents will gain confidence in recognising textures, sounds and scents and, consequently, improve their concentration and memory.

The Multisensory Equipment project is one more step forward in making residents’ lives more enjoyable and meaningful.

– “The work you do is what’s best for each resident.

– Creates a sense of purpose. Outcome of it comes from their perseverance. Residents who don’t normally get involved were involved 100%. For Miriam it’s so hard for her to keep herself awake, she has so many health issues and it’s a huge achievement that she said to herself – I want to go even though I am tired. Like for all of us it creates a reason to get out of bed in the morning.

Satisfaction –self-esteem goes up by buckets.

Rehearsing – they were uncomfortable, poorly, suffering in so many ways. For them to want to participate – it’s a massive achievement.

It would be great if Miriam could get more involved in the organisation of this group and fundraising. She used to be a pastor and housing officer for Southwark. The benefits are unique to each individual.

Albert knows he spreads happiness to the group

Michael receives respect

Multitude in each person, so many different benefits

Carry on performing. Anticipation to look forward to and enjoy.”

Action: Start weaving a link with Darwin court and join Towerbridge on a visit there on Thursday morning.

The Entelechy Arts work alongside those who are often marginalised in the society due to their complex disabilities or advancing age. The Tea Dance is an event taking place biannually at the Tower Bridge Care Home which involves residents and visiting artist.

Residents of One Tower Bridge Road Care Home were actively engaged in the event as performers. Some of the shows included singing, dancing, and presenting poems full of witty jokes and wise riddles.

Two of the performing residents were paired up with the Associate Director of Entelechy Arts Organisation, Rebecca, presenting simple movement techniques in dance routines accompanied by music from the 70s and 80s such as the ABBA’s perennial Dancing Queen.
Alongside the dancers, resident vocalists enriched the event by performing a capella and with backing track, pieces by Olivia Newton-John or Luis Armstrong. The elements of dance and music were complimented by poetry reading of the well-known Spike Milligan.

The event brought together the residents, carers, and volunteers who together have gone an extra mile to create a warm and delightful atmosphere. The sense of unity and togetherness emanated from the range of voices mixed in the full choir.

The Entelechy Arts team as well as the staff, volunteers, and residents of One Tower Bridge Care Home have worked on an extraordinary spectacle that served as a form of therapeutic recreation and an opportunity for residents to get involved in a genuine social interaction.

Interactive arts, a form of a non-pharmaceutic therapy, can be key in tackling loneliness and declining cognitive health in elderly. Residents engaged in artistic processes which have been documented to make a positive impact on physical fitness, encourage playfulness and sense of humour and strengthen social bonds. The Entelechy Arts contributed to improving lives of seniors in Tower Bridge Care Home by delivering a powerful message that art and creative projects are source of joy and can be a routine bulldozer for residents.

“I am nervous, yes; everybody’s there, looking at me. But this event brings us together and makes it feel more like home rather than just a care home.”  – Resident at the Tower Bridge Care Home

The service offers residents of One Tower Bridge Road Care Home a range of goods to purchase including books, music records, cards, toiletries, gifts, and sweets. The residents can make independent choices and treat themselves or their loved ones by choosing items from the “shop on wheels”.

Not only does Trolley Service respond to residents’ need of purchasing basic goods, but it also provides an opportunity to chat with volunteers on duty. Visiting the residents’ room on a regular basis allows volunteers to engage with residents and brighten their day with a chat. Conversation – a seemingly simple act – can make a great impact on an elderly person’s sense of well-being. The Trolley Service also captures some of the elements of life happening outside of the care home which residents long for the most. Incidental chit-chats resulting from the service stand a chance to become a beginning of friendships and meaningful relationships between residents and volunteers, allowing volunteers to play an active role in making residents’ lives more enjoyable.

They did so in order to discuss how to support the residents of the home who find it difficult to leave their rooms.

A list of residents was created who would appreciate room visits so that this could be used in future for staff to direct visitors to the Home to pop in with these residents even if just for a quick chat.

The meeting also covered the topic of Christmas and what would be the best way to improve the festive visits and celebrations so that the residents feel like they are a part of a big happy family

This project will be a trolley service, with the aim to improve each of the lives of the 128 residents of the home. By setting up a trolley service it means that Friends can visit the residents in their room on a daily basis, to offer the option of buying items or just having a chat. Following from this, other activities will develop.

What happens on the trolley will vary: it may be sweets one day, toiletries, or books on another or even a theme for the holidays, for example Christmas.  It will be an opportunity for the residents to treat themselves or a loved one, even if they are unable to get out to the shops. Even if the residents don’t wish to buy anything, the trolley service will encourage friendly chats on a daily basis and help to ease the loneliness and isolation that can occur.

Volunteers will be trained and will run the trolley service, to give the residents a chance to see new faces and make some new friends.

The residents will be encouraged to request items such as socks or toiletries, and the trolley will have some small freebies to give away.

When the opportunity arose he immediately signed up and has become one of the homes regular visitors. When he is not at Tower Bridge, Steve dedicates his time to working with The London City Mission along with spending time with his wife, Beth.

After only a short time volunteering, Steve noticed the home had many more residents with dementia than the previous homes he had volunteered at. He was forced to rethink his ways of communicating with residents in order to form relationships. Steve found the best way to do this was through one on one conversation with each resident.

Steve noticed that the residents at the care home enjoyed activities and interaction with each other. As his mission is to “bring spiritual support to people,” he was immediately attracted to the weekly Church services held at the home. He is currently thinking how these services may better connect with the residents.

Steve would like to explore the idea of small group work with the residents. Through group activities which would involve more music, bringing in outside objects and interaction between the members, Steve believes a “more dementia friendly place” can be built to address spiritual issues. Steve would like to see the residents become more engaged and ultimately create a fun and relaxing place for everyone to spend their time.

Along with the regular Tuesday Church gatherings, Steve favors one on one chats over tea and coffee. While some conversation topics have made him uncomfortable or caused him to “think outside of the box,” he is grateful for the new set of resources he has gained. Steve realizes his experiences volunteering in the home have in many ways “deepened him” and created an impact on his life.

The Friends were delighted to announce funding has been awarded to run a trolley service in the home.   We have also applied for funding for mobile multisensory equipment and to fund an arts and  performance project in the home.

The account were reviewed and adopted and committee members elected

Overall, we have evidenced further that the community is interested in the residents of One Tower Bridge Road and prepared to give up its time to support them. We have developed our work with churches and colleges and continue to attract a diverse group of volunteers.

As part of his role, he is patron of each of the friends groups in care homes.

Pictured above, he is talking to Nichole, project manager, and Kahlil who is newly appointed to the team. He was delighted to hear of the progress to date.

The Proximity London team of 4 decided to put on a tea party with a twist: a glitzy cruise ship sailing the seven seas. The event kicked off in the garden with some deck games (the sun was shining), drinks with fancy straws were flowing and streams of bunting transformed the garden. They then moved inside for some delicious sandwiches, cake, tea and coffee and a harmonious sing along. Feet were tapping, there were one or two solo efforts, and most of the residents didn’t need the words, their memory served them well. The residents all have a range of needs and the volunteers were fantastic in communicating with everyone. They ensured the whole group were smiling, well fed and watered!

‘Volunteers and clients had a great experience and hopefully it was the first of many projects to come’  Paulette Dixon – Activities Coordinator at One Tower Bridge

His wife’s aunt stayed at the care home a few years ago and he has always had the idea of helping there one day.  Over the years he has done volunteering work such as transporting elderly between their home and day center, and helping out in the volunteer center for Westminster inputting and updating the volunteer database. He stopped helping there when the volunteer center moved premises from Paddington to their current address.  Volunteering work is fulfilling, with a sense of achieving something good while helping others.

Originally, he began visiting a Chinese lady (90 years old), but David also visits a Chinese gentleman (83 years old) who moved from the Camberwell care home in December. The resident’s wife told him her husband was feeling poorly and had been given a room close to the nurse’s station. “He likes me and smiled a lot when I visited him,” but David sensed he suffered from dementia and seemed unable to remember recent events. The resident often talked about his days back in the 1970s.  David said, “It is interesting and sad to see how dementia affects people.”

Whether it is speaking with the residents about enjoyable past times or the Chinese New Year celebration, David always has a smile on his face ready to have a great time with the residents. It is evident how much he loves his volunteering role at the care home.

The residents often comment on how much they enjoy these little touches.

We always try to have at least 2 volunteers at each tea party. The volunteers and the residents really enjoy themselves, and the staff have commented on what a difference it has made to the home. Even the residents who can’t really communicate seem to enjoy the company and enjoy listening to the volunteers and other residents talking and laughing.  Today, one of the residents told me that I was “a dear” because “I listen to her” and thanked me for all the help I give her. This is a resident I’ve got to know pretty well over the months and I often spend quite a bit of time with her.

I really enjoy the tea parties. Knowing I have made a resident smile, and made them feel that they are listened to and valued, is a truly wonderful experience. It’s such a joy watching them sing along to songs from their youth, especially the ones who don’t normally speak.

As a Friend of the care home, Anne supports Activities Coordinators by helping to take the residents out on day trips. She also spends time one-to-one with residents to befriend them and read to them. Anne has been at the care home since September 2014, and usually comes in once a week in the mornings, but also drops in to spend time with residents on other days. One of her best moments while befriending at the care home was when a singer came to visit the residents, “some (of the residents) find it more difficult to communicate, but without exception, everyone in that room came to life.”

Background on Anne:

• Lives in Manchester
• Husband works in London
• Stays at flat near the care home 3 times a week
• 62 years old – has had an emotional response to getting closer in age to residents
• Retired from working in education – used to work with children so this is a new experience
• Feels valued by staff but wants to find a better way to bring skillset to volunteer work
• Lots of death in care homes – hasn’t personally experienced it
• Learned to develop resilience
• Working on creating a befriending group & putting together instructions so that other care homes can do the same thing