THAMESFIELD
SEPTEMBER 2010 UPDATE
We’re going to be on TV!
Well, we’re not...but Thamesfield is. We welcomed a film crew from Midsomer Murders to Thamesfield this week. They asked if they could use the building as the backdrop for one of the stories in the coming series. And so Neil Dudgeon, who plays the lead character, and some of the other cast came along with lights and cameras and some of those clapper boards which look like a lot of fun!
It was fascinating watching them filming – it takes ages sometimes to film the shortest scenes, to get the lighting right and the cameras in the right places.
On a serious note, the production company paid to use Thamesfield. Retirement Villages has donated the fee to the Memorial Trust set up in memory of Dougie Dalzell. Dougie was killed in Afghanistan on his 27th birthday in February this year while serving with the Coldstream Guards.
He is also the grandson of Dawn Turner, one of our residents. Her apartment is set to appear on the tv show so it seemed very apt that the money should be donated to that cause.
AUGUST 2010 UPDATE
Garden Party
Thamesfield hosted a Garden Party recently for residents and their guests in a marquee on the lawn on the banks of the river. What a glorious day it was! The sun shone and there was a slight breeze which made the day most enjoyable.
Guests arrived and were served a cup of tea and they were delighted with the beautiful stalls which had been set up selling handmade gifts.
Tea was served and everyone had a beautiful platter of smoked salmon and cucumber sandwiches, white chocolate and milk chocolate profiteroles, orange and lemon cupcakes, raspberry mille Feuilles and scones with strawberries and fresh cream (click image to enlarge).
The best thing about the day was that the overwhelming sound coming from our gorgeous gardens was laughter!
JULY 2010 UPDATE
Messing about on the river
by Miss Elizabeth Banks
We all very much enjoyed our most recent boat trip. The boat is very convenient for the likes of us with more limited mobility as it has a lift so wheelchairs can go on board! Not long after going aboard we had a drink of Pimms, followed by a delicious lunch prepared by our own catering team.
We went up river first - including up and down in a lock which was very interesting. The banks are very wooded with a lot houses in between.
On reaching Shiplake we turned round. We passed Thamesfield on the way back, continuing under the bridge at Henley. The buildings were getting ready for the Regatta but beyond this the country is much more open and it looked lovely in the sun.
We were counting the amount of birdlife on the river and on the banks and were getting quite taken in by their antics. We were delighted to spot a Kingfisher, an unusual – but very welcome - sight.
JUNE 2010 UPDATE
A life on the ocean wave
By Annie Gillett
Sally and Richard Hope came to Thamesfield to give a talk about their ocean travels in a catamaran. Sally and Richard are the parents of Kerry Huggett who is the Care Manager at Thamesfield.
They set sail for this amazing adventure in 1968 with Kerry aged 10 and her two younger sisters, the baby being only 4 months old.
They kept us all spellbound as we listened to their marvellous experiences some of which were life threatening, but they didn’t dwell on those! Kerry must have had the most amazing three years of her life.
One of our residents Doreen Cook, whose son is a great sailor said it was the best talk she had heard for ages and everyone was very grateful that Sally and Richard had taken the time to share their exciting voyage with us.
Art Class
by Kathy Rajan
Residents look forward to the weekly art class run every Friday in the Conservatory by Kathy Rajan a former Care Assistant. Kathy is a member of the Reading Guild of Artists and Woking Guild of Artists.
Classes are mostly done in watercolour but anything goes, ie pencil, crayon, acrylic or pastels – whatever the individual feels happy with. The classes are also beneficial to residents who have concentration problems, dexterity woes and are good for a social occasion - there’s a delivery of tea and cake at 3.30pm when we stop for a natter.
Members are encouraged to bring photos to paint or maybe a cutting from a magazine and when the weather is warmer we venture out and paint on the river bank.
MAY 2010 UPDATE
Antiques Road Show
By Mr John Spalding
This is not a reference to the residents of Thamesfield but to the more interesting of their worldly goods! Guy Haskill of Bonhams, the auctioneers and valuers, visited Thamesfield and the residents produced their favourite antique pieces for his comment and, hopefully, valuation.
It proved to be a fascinating afternoon with an Aladdin’s cave of china pieces, jewellery, embroidery and assorted objets d’art on display.
It took Mr Haskill some two hours to work through them.
It is sad to report that while the residents waited agog for Mr Haskill’s cry of surprise and delight as he recognised a rare and priceless piece, it didn’t happen. Not that it really mattered – it was a hugely enjoyable experience.
Double celebration
Ann and Alan Beausire gave a champagne party for all the residents in a double celebration to mark both Alan's birthday and their first year at Thamesfield. Two of their sons came along with one, Ted, serenading his dad with Happy Birthday played on the trombone.
Alan gave a short speech and we all raised our glasses to them both. Champagne was enjoyed along with canapés, beautifully prepared by the Head Chef.
We were delighted to be invited to celebrate the couple’s special day.
APRIL 2010 UPDATE
It’s a dog’s life
Jill Steward and her beautiful black Labrador/Retriever puppy Uri came to visit us at Thamesfield this week (click to enlarge image). Jill is a puppy walker for Guide Dogs.
Puppies live with Jill for 14 months and she gets them used to family life, traffic, shops, stations…all the places a Guide Dog may have to go with its sight impaired owner.
Jill has trained 10 puppies over many years – though how she can bear to say goodbye to such gorgeous dogs we don’t know!
Jill is a regular here at Thamesfield and she and her four legged companions are always very welcome.
MARCH 2010 UPDATE
Easter Card Class
By Lynn Sayer, Volunteer
Six residents gathered in the conservatory with paper, felt and glue to make Easter cards for their friends and families. I helped but I am not arty so my assistance was with threading needles!
.aspx)
Barbara made a funny Easter card for her granddaughter who is doing a course at art school - she thought it would make her laugh.
Between us we had a real giggle with getting bits of felt stuck to our hands!
Over afternoon tea we enjoyed a good natter about how much fun this had been! We finished off with a bar of chocolate, from Margaret another volunteer – well, it is Easter!
Mayor of Wokingham Borough visits Thamesfield
His Worship the Mayor of Wokingham Borough, Councillor Barrie Patman and his wife the Mayoress Pamela Patman paid a visit to Thamesfield recently.
We were told what was involved in being the Mayor and what kind of duties he has to perform – it certainly seems he is kept very busy so we were very pleased he was happy to stay for tea and answer all the questions we threw at him.
It seems Wokingham Borough has a lot of input into the back stage organisation during the Henley Regatta.
Henley of course gets all the glory so it was nice to be able to say personal thank yous for all the hard work!
The Mayor and his wife were thanked for a very enjoyable afternoon and we hope they will return to Thamesfield in the future.
FEBRUARY 2010 UPDATE
Love is in the air
What’s that saying – you’re never too old for a spot of romance? We wholeheartedly agree. And that’s why we’ll be pushing the boat out on Sunday for a proper Valentine’s Day celebration.
There’ll be heart-shaped helium balloons for the tables which will also be scattered with heart shaped confetti – aaahhhh! There will be tomato soup – it’s red you see – with heart shaped croutons, and heart shaped cheesecakes with strawberry – red again – coulis for dessert. Unfortunately the chef couldn’t source any heart shaped roast chicken for the main course!
And to drink? Why nothing less than pink champagne!
Spring is in the air too
We hate to say the ‘S’ word when the weather forecast map is still a shiver-inducing blue but the first signs of spring are definitely arriving here at Thamesfield.
We have snowdrops peeking through the soil and there are definitely buds on some of our trees which weren’t there last week. Thamesfield is beautiful in the spring with the dew on the grass and the gardens starting to burst into life. And of course more sunshine so we can get outside more to enjoy the amazing views we have of the river and the town.
VIP visit
We shall be welcoming the Mayor of Wokingham to Thamesfield later this month. Councillor Barrie Patman will be coming along to have a chat and a coffee with some of us, which will give us chance to show off some of the redecoration work that’s going on here. We’ll let you know how it goes.
JANUARY 2010 UPDATE
Ladies – and gentlemen – who lunch
Thamesfield once again shone on December 13th when we held our annual Christmas luncheon for residents and their families. All the guests joined us in a glass of champagne as they made their way down to the Orangery and the Garden Room which had been decorated beautifully by the staff.
Everyone was happy and eager to see the fantastic buffet which had once again been prepared by our award winning Chef and his team. There were whole poached salmons beautifully laid out on mirrors with scallops and langoustines.
The Chefs carved fresh whole turkeys and gammons which were accompanied by a rainbow of salads and piping hot new potatoes. The only difficulty was what NOT to have!
Once the main course had been received the tables were transformed with the freshly made desserts. Once again a whole selection of patisseries and fresh fruit all prepared by the Catering team on site.
The whole day was a happy joyous occasion enjoyed by residents, their families and the staff - many of whom gave up their time willingly to ensure the residents had the best day EVER!
Happy new year from us
New Year celebrations kicked off with the obligatory champagne reception followed by the famous New Years Eve buffet which is very popular with residents and their guests.
All the food is laid out in chaffing dishes and by special request included eggs, bacon, sausages, potatoes, mushrooms, tomatoes, and FRIED BREAD! Served by the waitresses, residents indulged on the last day of the year!
It’ ‘snow’ bother
Staff kept Thamesfield open during the recent bad weather - walking when the cars were in drifts and even staying overnight when the roads proved too treacherous.
It actually encouraged a wonderful community spirit but it didn't stop the catering team taking the opportunity to enjoy some light hearted snow ball fights with our Village Manager Rhona as the main target.
The roads in the village were kept clear and safe and everyone was happy and warm and kept entertained.
DECEMBER 2009 UPDATE
Christmas Carols
by Catherine Hinman
If you want to hear your favourite Christmas Carols played and sung the way they should be done, you should go along to the Royal Albert Hall to celebrate Christmas with the Salvation Army. The presentation, the music and the singing of the various choirs is just magnificent.
I go every year with my family and every time I come away thinking what a wonderful service they provide for needy people all over the country. Well done the Salvation Army!
Hairdressing
by Iris Packe
My hair is not my crowning glory. I envy those who, apparently without effort, always look well-groomed. Several years ago I tried a wig but it was so much thicker than my own hair, and caused such an outcry of derision from the family that it was quickly abandoned.
So, as a newcomer to Henley, how do I choose a hairdresser? Help is very close at hand as Thamesfield has its own salon staffed by a qualified hairdresser. No worries about that death to a hairdo, rainy weather or finding a parking space in town.
Book in handbag, I leave my flat five minutes before my appointment. A wash, a trim, a spell under the dryer with my book and a coffee – it’s all very pleasant and easy, rounded off by a chat with Lesley, our hairdresser, and others.
Inaugural Thamesfield Book Club meeting
By Annie Gillett
On Tuesday, eight residents and one relative joined me round the fire in the sitting room at Thamesfield. I served the coffee and wine and we were all set up for our first ‘proper’ Book Club Meeting.
Over the last six weeks we had been reading The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett, a small book which had already been read by Angela, and was considered a good one to start with.
Everyone enjoyed this amusing book – The Uncommon Reader being the Queen! It portrayed her in a very different way to how we normally see her and had an interesting twist at the end. The local library will loan up to 15 books to book clubs and had sent me a very comprehensive list, so we spent some time deciding on the next book.
It wasn’t easy as we all enjoy different books but the whole idea of a book club is that we read something we wouldn’t normally read. We chose To Kill A Mocking Bird by Lee Harper and decided to give ourselves six weeks before the next meeting!
We all agreed this had been a great way to get together on a cold, miserable evening and we look forward to the next time.
NOVEMBER 2009 UPDATE
Resident’s design in print
With Christmas fast approaching, we entered into the festive spirit, taking part in Retirement Villages’ ‘design a Christmas card’ competition.
Celia Scholfield’s ‘Snowmen’ design (click picture to enlarge) was chosen as a runner up, with Elizabeth Martin, Claudie Phelips and Lady Sandy Trewby also taking part.
Celia’s work is one of seven runner-up designs from across the villages appearing on the reverse of the 2,000 Christmas cards, available for suppliers, residents, their families and friends. Celia receives a box of chocolates to mark her efforts.
Let battle commence
A rash of general knowledge books have suddenly appeared all over Thamesfield. Staff and residents have been spied flicking through them on the sly – yet we’ll all deny it!
All this secret swotting is in aid of the quiz our activities organiser Annie has organised. The teams? Staff versus residents. We’re pretty evenly matched on numbers but we think there could be a few dark horses on both sides when it comes to knowledge banks.
We’ll let you know how it goes!
OCTOBER 2009 UPDATE
We did it!
The staff here did us proud! Not only did they finish the eight mile Henley and Marlow Stride – they raised a phenomenal £1,000 with more money still to be collected.
A team of six plus some family members (click picture to enlarge) took part in the walk in aid of cancer charities. They were inspired by our activities organiser Annie Gillett, who is currently undergoing treatment for breast cancer. She was the star of the day, completing the walk in fine form.
The eight intrepid walkers were sent off in style with bacon butties cooked up by our kitchen team. And we were all ready with a round of applause when they arrived back – looking remarkably fresh faced. We’re incredibly proud of their achievements – especially Annie’s. What an example to us all.
SEPTEMBER 2009 UPDATE
Striding out for charity
We’re all busy training for this year’s Henley and Marlow Stride. It’s an eight mile walk along the Thames towpath from Marlow to – no prizes for guessing – Henley! We won’t be doing it all but a fair few of us will be undertaking parts of the walk.
It’s a beautiful route – Thamesfield is on the banks of the river in Henley and we can vouch for the fact you get amazing views around here.
The Stride is held in aid of Cancer Research UK, a charity close to the hearts of a lot of people here at Thamesfield so we’ll be hoping to raise a lot of money in sponsorship. It’s taking place on Sunday 4th October starting at 10.30am.
We’ll let you know how it goes!
AUGUST 2009 UPDATE
Messing about on the river
Over the years we've built up a good relationship with the River and Rowing Museum here in Henley-on-Thames. It's a really interesting place to visit with lots of memorabilia, history about the river's relationship with the town and how they feed of each other.
Not everyone here can get out to the museum so it's really kind of the staff there come here sometimes. They came this month and brought a new selection of artefacts for us to look at. They currently have a Wind in the Willows exhibition on so they talked about that. And they bought some musical instruments too which proved to be great fun.
A few of us have been inspired to visit the museum with our families over the summer holidays.
JULY 2009 UPDATE
A royal outing
by Marjorie Stringer
Our activities organiser Annie arranged for eight of our residents to meet the Queen - not literally of course. But we travelled from Henley through the Great Park and along Dukes Ride where the Queen and Prince Phillip along with guests, drive to attend Ladies Day at Royal Ascot.
Annie and Lesley, our hairdresser, were in charge of the arrangements and had gathered together chairs and tables plus a picnic lunch. When we arrived, already members of the Royal Household were in attendance.
It is a very happy occasion - we rather feel we too are going with the Queen. Two beautiful grey horses along with their riders in red and gold livery were very near us. Annie and Lesley set up our chairs close to the barrier. Blankets and umbrellas produced (in case). The weather was inclement but no rain. Our chef at Thamesfield had done us proud – a lunch fit for a Queen. Champagne was also produced to toast the Queen and all friends around us.
At 2.45pm the four beautiful carriages arrived to await the Queen and her entourage from Windsor Castle. The first limousine to arrive brought the Queen and Prince Phillip. The hoods had been put down in the carriages. The Queen alighted and the Prince stepped into the carriage.
The Queen looked very elegant in a lovely blue ensemble. Prince Andrew and Princess Beatrice joined them in the carriage. They acknowledged everyone with a wave and a smile. Three other carriages had members of the family.
All too soon the carriages headed off down Kings Row towards Royal Ascot. We can pretend we went to the Races, maybe won a bet! Our thanks to everyone who made this day possible for us. It was fun!
Row row row the boat
River life is very much a part of Thamesfield with our grounds leading down, as they do, to the Thames. We welcomed some very special guests who moored up at our dedicated landing stage during a charity row down the Thames from Gloucestershire to London.
The 10-strong crew enjoyed coffee and cake on our lawn in the company of Peter, one of our residents and an uncle of one of the crew. The four day sponsored row, in a hand-crafted replica of a 42ft Shallop, was raising money for the Save Canterbury Cathedral Fund and Odyssey – a charity which helps improve the lives of adult cancer victims.
By the time the crew stopped for coffee with us they had already rowed nine miles and went on to cover another 22 that day! The picture shows Peter, who is 99 this year, with two of the crew, watched over by Jan Wade, a trustee of Odyssey.
JUNE 2009 UPDATE
Messing about on the water
One activity that has become our favourite is the ‘Boat Trip’. Last year there was a new boat available, specially built for the elderly, with an electric lift for boarding, comfortable seats, good windows, a sun roof, radiators for colder weather – and the loo is magnificent.
We embarked from our own private landing stage. A charming young lady was our captain, very knowledgeable and efficient at navigating the locks en route.
We turned right down the river towards Marlow. We saw the preparations for Henley Royal Regatta, the tents for entertaining visitors and the grandstands. It wasn’t long long before we were in open countryside and for a while it was fields, lush riverside trees, a few sheep and cottages.
At lunch time we are fortified with a glass of pink champagne, served by Activity Annie, and a delicious meal cooked by our Thamesfield chef. All too soon we reach Hambleden Lock where the river widens and it is time to turn round.
We all had a lovely day and are looking forward to the next trip.
Celebrating the regatta
Henley-on-Thames is transformed during the Royal Regatta and we don’t like to miss out. We have a village barbecue planned for Regatta Friday when we’ll all be gathering on the terrace to enjoy a glass of Pimms and a barbecue while watching all the excitement on the river which runs just at the bottom of our garden. Perfect!
Summer timetable
- Monday: Happy hour with canapés and drinks
- Tuesday: Exercise class
- Wednesday: Quiz
- Thursday: Housey-Housey (Thamesfield’s own version of bingo)
- Friday: Art class
New for summer
We have teamed up with a Bridge Club from Henley-on-Thames and will be taking turns to host games.