October’s theme was ‘Harvest’ with a special Harvest church service which took place on 20th October. We also celebrated a number of birthdays this month, notably, Joan Barker’s, Gwen Donoghue’s, Christine Black’s, Marie Brasher’s and Enid Webster’s. October is certainly a popular birthday month here in the home!
On Thursday 1st October one of our residents Alan Whatman and his wife Margaret celebrated their 60th Wedding Anniversary, their diamond jubilee! Margaret, along with Alan’s sister and husband, as well as his daughter Carol, arrived laden down with gifts and helium balloons and a cake for the celebrations. Carol presented her parents with a large board with wedding pictures and other memorable family photographs (now on display in Alan’s bedroom), along with an album with many personal messages from other relatives and friends from all over the world, including South Africa where they used to live for many years. Alan in his turn presented Margaret with a card which he was helped to make during arts and crafts and Margaret was very touched to receive it. Photographs were taken and the family talked about Alan and Margaret’s wedding day some sixty years ago back in St. Leonard’s –On-Sea.
On Wednesday 7th October Residents enjoyed singing and moving to Barbara in her ‘Singing for the Brain’ monthly session.
Vicar Tara led the residents in our regular monthly church service on Friday 9th October. The prayers and hymns we followed by a cup of tea and a chat.
Friday 16th October was a very busy day here at Hill House. A group of residents (along with others from Hillbrow and Woodlands) visited Redfields Garden Centre. They enjoyed tea and biscuits in the lovely restaurant there.
In the afternoon residents enjoyed a musical trip down memory lane with Gareth. Our entertainment this afternoon was to acknowledge National Pink Day or Breast Cancer Awareness Day. Many residents wore pink, activities and other staff dressed in pink wigs, tutus and bras and danced and sang the afternoon away with our residents. Pink cupcakes were served with the tea at 3:15 pm and everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves.
On Tuesday 20th October we celebrated Harvest festival with a special Harvest church service led by Vicar Tara. Residents enjoyed singing Harvest hymns and giving thanks to God for a good harvest.
To finish our ‘Pink Week’ raising awareness of breast cancer, on Friday 23rd residents enjoyed a light-hearted ‘pink’ themed quiz this morning, following chair-based exercises. Then, during the afternoon residents came together to enjoy an upbeat sing-a-long and a dancing tea party. At 3:15pm we celebrated Marie Brasher’s 79th birthday along with members of her family.
Ahead of Halloween, on Wednesday 28th residents were involved in arts and crafts making pumpkins, ghosts and bats for window decorations. Later in the day residents enjoyed the annual pumpkin carving and making of the ‘Jack o’ lanterns’ ready for Halloween.
On Friday 30th October the afternoon sing-a-long tea party had a fun Halloween theme. Staff dressed as witches and pumpkins, and children, visited the home for ‘Trick and Treat’ activities. The children looked wonderful in all their various outfits, ranging from a ‘Mummy’ complete with bandages, as well as various witches, The Incredible Hulk and Dracula! Residents enjoyed talking to the children and offering them sweets, whilst upbeat music from the 1960’s rock n’ roll era played. Residents danced afterward and enjoyed tea and cakes to finish. 
