Porthaven Blog | Porthaven Care Homes

Porthavenbury Prep!

Date posted: 15th June 2026

We started the week by creating our very own Glastonbury-style festival flags. Using a recycled old bedsheet, our residents got creative and designed unique patterns using a variety of fun techniques. Paint-filled water pistols were used to spray vibrant colours across the fabric, while balloons dipped in paint were thrown onto the sheet to create […]

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Dementia Action Week at Woodland Manor.

Date posted: 28th May 2026

Here at Woodland Manor, we are very proud to have staff specialised in dementia care. Keeping family and friends informed, and giving them the opportunity to ask questions about their loved ones, is at the heart of what we do. We would like to say a big thank you to Sally Blackden, our local specialised […]

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Our Employee of the Month!

Date posted: 28th May 2026

We are absolutely thrilled to announce that Aro, our incredible Night Carer has been voted Employee of the Month — chosen by both our wonderful staff team and our visiting families! While most of us are fast asleep, our Night Carer is there, quietly and compassionately caring for our residents through every hour of the […]

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International Nurses Day

Date posted: 28th May 2026

This month, we celebrated International Nurses Day, so it seemed only right to give back to our clinical staff and show our gratitude for the hard work they do. All of our clinical staff will receive a gift; those on shift today received their gift and an afternoon tea prepared by our kitchen. A well-deserved […]

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Art club!

Date posted: 28th May 2026

This week, our art club welcomed some new members at Thirlestaine Park! Our residents enjoy the presence of students from Cheltenham College every Wednesday. During this week’s session, we focused on painting, and some of the masterpieces created were truly impressive. Be sure to look around the home to see them in person!

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National Tea Day Celebrations

Date posted: 28th May 2026

We’ve been getting into the spirit of National Tea Day here at Tonbridge House! Our residents enjoyed a wonderful morning in our Bistro, indulging in delicious tea and cake, with a ‘History of Tea’ related quiz. To make it even more special, we also took a lovely trip to a local garden centre, where everyone […]

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Always a warm welcome!

Date posted: 28th May 2026

At Savernake View, we believe in making every new resident feel cherished from the start. Our dedicated kitchen team prepares a delightful welcome plate, featuring fresh fruit and homemade treats. This thoughtful gesture not only nourishes but also creates a warm atmosphere, helping residents feel at home from day one.

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Staff Appreciation at Prestbury House

Date posted: 28th May 2026

Yesterday, we held an afternoon of celebration and appreciation for our amazing team members! Our team members have been nominating colleagues who have demonstrated Porthaven values and have gone above and beyond to support our residents and home The winner of our employee of the month was our fantastic team leader, Jenny! She was nominated […]

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What a fantastic month we’ve had at Penhurst Gardens!

Date posted: 28th May 2026

We were treated to a wonderful visit from JB Steelpan Music earlier this May, and what a joyful afternoon it was! The sound of tropical steel pan music filled the room and had everyone smiling, tapping along, and even up dancing! It truly felt like a little trip to the Caribbean as we enjoyed an […]

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A trip to the mill!

Date posted: 28th May 2026

Our lovely couple, Margaret and Peter, recently enjoyed a trip to Morden Hall Park, looking at the running water mill and spring flowers. They finished with a nice cup of tea in the cafe. It was a lovely day.

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Dementia Action Week at Lincroft Meadow

Date posted: 28th May 2026

Here at Lincroft Meadow, we are proud to support Dementia Action Week. This year, we decided to mark the week by raising awareness through our giant knitted forget-me-not project. For the last few months, our fabulous knit and natter group has been working hard to knit dozens of squares that could then be sewn together […]

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Flower arranging!

Date posted: 28th May 2026

Betty has been showing her daughter and us how to arrange flowers, which she used to do professionally. The beautiful flowers were donated to celebrate the Chelsea Flower Show at Hartfield House by Waitrose & Partners. We were so pleased to receive them and show the talent of our amazing residents.

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International Nurses Day!

Date posted: 28th May 2026

We celebrated International Nurses Week at Falkland Grange and surprised our nurses with treats! Thank you for all you do for not only our residents but also your colleagues, staff and visitors to our home. International Nurses Day (IND), also marks the anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s birth, who is recognised as the founder of modern […]

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International Nurses Day!

Date posted: 28th May 2026

We are celebrating our incredible nursing team this International Nurses Day! A huge thank you for your dedication, compassion and hard work. You truly make a difference every day!

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International Nurses Day!

Date posted: 28th May 2026

This month, we celebrate International Nurses Day, so we treated our incredible nurse, Alisha, and our Clinical Deputy Manager, Lynn, to goodie bags. We also included cards made by our lovely residents here at Bourne Wood Manor Care Home! Thank you to our brilliant and dedicated clinical team for all you do for our residents. […]

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Dementia Action Week at Avondale

Date posted: 28th May 2026

This week has been all about connection, creativity and community. We were delighted to finish Dementia Action Week with our Friendship Café, welcoming members of the local community alongside our residents. The afternoon was filled with singing for the Brain, arts and crafts, and a beautiful flower arranging session, creating moments of joy, friendship and […]

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Sweet memories.

Date posted: 28th May 2026

Our residents enjoyed a wonderful afternoon at Dagfields Crafts & Antiques, where they shared a lovely brew, enjoyed some tasty treats and spent time exploring the many precious pre-loved treasures on display. Looking through antiques and familiar items from years gone by can be incredibly beneficial for people living with dementia, helping to spark memories, […]

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Dementia Action Week at Lea Grange

Date posted: 28th May 2026

Hollie, the Dementia Friendly Coordinator from Harpenden Age UK, visited our home to tell us more about her role in the community. It was fascinating to learn more about how Hollie assists those living with dementia in Harpenden and what support she can provide our residents and their loved ones. Afterwards, Emma from Imagination Arts […]

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Dementia Action Week at Haddon Hall Care Home

Date posted: 28th May 2026

As it was Dementia Action Week, we invited Porthaven’s Dementia Lead, Leon Smith, to host our first dementia memory cafe along with our RDCM, Louise. Our memory cafe is a safe space for us to support our families of those living with dementia, to discuss and share feelings, experiences, challenges and ideas together. We are […]

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Happy International Nurses Day

Date posted: 28th May 2026

We celebrated our amazing nurses in style! Not only the wonderful nurses who care for our residents every day, but also our residents who were nurses themselves. Between them all, there’s an incredible 150+ years of nursing experience under one roof! As nurses spend so much of their time looking after everyone else, today was […]

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Dementia Action Week at Deer Park

Date posted: 28th May 2026

This month, our team hosted a coffee morning in aid of our local dementia charity, Dementia Matters Here(fordshire), as part of Dementia Action Week. The lovely ladies from Dementia Matters Here(fordshire) gave a talk for our team and residents while we enjoyed themed cakes freshly prepared by our talented chefs. Afterwards, we held a raffle, […]

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Happy International Bee Day!

Date posted: 28th May 2026

This month, we were delighted to welcome Sybil and Sue from the Oxfordshire Beekeepers, who gave our residents a wonderful and informative presentation all about bees and the important role they play in our world. Our residents thoroughly enjoyed learning fascinating facts about beekeeping, tasting some delicious honey cake, and sampling beautiful local honey. We […]

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May Bank Holiday Celebrations!

Date posted: 28th May 2026

We had our spring bank holiday party with delicious food made by our chef. Our residents and families wore their best spring outfits, with our lovely winner, Debbie, picked by Tony, who kindly entertained us with some throwbacks and karaoke. Our carer Lea was the first one up, singing and getting everyone in the party […]

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Dementia Action Week at Barley Manor

Date posted: 28th May 2026

As Dementia Action Week comes to a close, we’ve shared so many special moments together. From memory games and our dementia-friendly Mamma Mia! cinema showing, to singing along with an ABBA tribute, painting beautiful forget-me-nots, enjoying our Memory Café, taking a wonderful walk down memory lane, this week has been filled with laughter, connection, memories, […]

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World Hula Week!

Date posted: 27th April 2026

In recognition of World Hula Week, we picked up a couple of hoops and had fun circling our hips. We also marked the Merrie Monarch Hawaiian Festival, a vibrant spring celebration and popular week-long annual hula competition. To make it even more fun, we’re decorating our home with bright flowers made by our residents for […]

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Admin appreciation day!

Date posted: 27th April 2026

This month, we’re celebrating Administrative Professionals Day and shining a spotlight on the incredible team that keeps everything running smoothly behind the scenes. A special thank you to our wonderful receptionist, Shirley, who greets everyone with a warm smile and keeps the front desk running seamlessly every day. And to our dedicated administrator, whose hard […]

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Admin appreciation day!

Date posted: 27th April 2026

This month, we are celebrating Administrative Professionals Day and shining a spotlight on our incredible team who keep things running both front of house and behind the scenes smoothly. Huge thanks to our wonderful reception team, Theresa, Julie and Jackie, who welcome everyone with a warm smile, while running the front desk seamlessly 7 days […]

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Our amazing achievement!

Date posted: 27th April 2026

We are so proud to announce that our amazing kitchen team here at Thirlestaine Park won the Porthaven Care Homes Marie Curie challenge! Competing against other fantastic teams, our delectable cake and beautiful cupcakes captured the hearts, securing the top vote. We feel incredibly fortunate to have such an extraordinary team dedicated to not only […]

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World Food Cruise – April’s Stop: China!

Date posted: 27th April 2026

This month, our World Food Cruise has taken us to China, and our residents have been enjoying the wonderful flavours and aromas inspired by Chinese cuisine. A big thank you to our talented chefs for preparing such delicious dishes and helping us travel the world through food!

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Admin Appreciation Day!

Date posted: 27th April 2026

This month, we are delighted to be marking Admin Appreciation Day with a special afternoon tea for our wonderful administration team — Rebecca, Alice, Danielle, Tracey, Margaret and Karen. Thank you for your hard work, dedication and the countless things you do every single day to support our home, residents and colleagues. We truly couldn’t […]

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Easter Community Engagement!

Date posted: 27th April 2026

Our residents and team have been busy over Easter, engaging with our local community and neighbours. Barbara, Jean and Bhavishya visited Kids Planet Macclesfield nursery to drop off Easter chocolates and treats for the kids to enjoy! We love connecting with our neighbours, and look forward to seeing them again in the future!

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Timeless art!

Date posted: 27th April 2026

Over the last two weeks, our residents have been getting creative in our weekly Timeless Art Sessions with Activities Coordinator Lilly. This time, we tried our hand at pottery—designing and painting our very own jewellery trays! Each piece was as unique as its creator. Our brilliant resident Kate decorated hers with delicate little pink flowers, […]

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Admin Appreciation Day!

Date posted: 27th April 2026

From all of us here at Lavender Oaks Care Home, we would like to say a huge thank you to our wonderful administrators for all they do to ensure our homes run smoothly. As a token of our appreciation, our Home Manager, Peter, gifted our Administrator, Freya, some flowers and chocolates. Thank you, Freya!

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Admin Appreciation Day!

Date posted: 27th April 2026

Here at Lincroft Meadow, we marked Admin Appreciation Day by saying a heartfelt thank you to our wonderful administration and reception team. From welcoming every visitor to our home, to organising everything we need behind the scenes to keep our home running smoothly, we would be truly lost without this fab four! Thank you, ladies, […]

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Our classical music groups!

Date posted: 27th April 2026

At Hartfield House, our classical music appreciation groups meet every week. It offers opportunities to listen to, discuss and enjoy classical music with others, often focusing on shared listening sessions, concert-going, and learning about composers. They are always open to any new members who would like to join them.

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Our double win!

Date posted: 27th April 2026

This month, our CSM attended the Porthaven Client Services Manager Conference for 2026, and we are proud of everyone at Falkland Grange, as it is a team effort that we received not only 1 but 2 awards! The 100% Occupancy Award recognises the achievement of reaching full occupancy throughout the year. Additionally, we are proud […]

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Stepping into Spring!

Date posted: 27th April 2026

Our residents and their families have been enjoying being able to spend time in our garden once again! From peaceful pauses in the sunshine to shared conversations and simple everyday moments, being outdoors can bring so much comfort and enjoyment to the day.

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A spot of pampering!

Date posted: 27th April 2026

Our residents love a little pampering, and our on-site hair salon here at Bourne Wood Manor is always a highlight! Here’s our wonderful resident Mary enjoying her weekly wash and style with our lovely hairdresser, Kelly. As you can see, it’s always full of smiles, laughter, and a touch of glamour!

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Rock & Roll Day at Avondale

Date posted: 27th April 2026

As part of our weekly Activities & Wellbeing schedule, we were delighted to welcome a new performer, Victoria Elizabeth Vocals, into our home to celebrate Rock & Roll Day, and what a fantastic afternoon it was! Live music is especially powerful for people living with dementia, helping to spark memories, encourage engagement and create moments […]

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Admin appreciation day!

Date posted: 27th April 2026

We are shining a well-deserved spotlight on our incredible Admin Team—the people who keep everything running like clockwork behind the scenes (and at the front desk too!) From the warm smiles that greet every guest who walks through our doors, to the endless support they provide to our residents and their families, their role is […]

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Our very first Veterans’ lunch!

Date posted: 27th April 2026

This week we proudly hosted our very first Veterans’ Lunch at Lea Grange: an afternoon filled with nostalgia, connection and timeless military classics. Our veterans and military spouses came together to share stories and memories, joined by our wonderful guests from the Harpenden Branch of the Royal British Legion, our Peer Mentors from the West […]

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Our Easter celebrations!

Date posted: 27th April 2026

We welcomed children who came in to make Easter bonnets and participate in an Easter egg hunt organised by the Easter Bunny. The fabulous Sophia, the singing harpist, performed for us and she was absolutely brilliant. Following the performance, we enjoyed an Easter-themed afternoon tea featuring a special Easter Bunny cake created by our talented […]

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Spring Seedlings

Date posted: 27th April 2026

This month, our residents were supported by Dan, our Maintenance Manager, to get ready for planting more seedlings in our beautiful gardens. Gardening has always been a huge part of many of our residents’ lives. Since moving in, several have shared how much they loved their own gardens and how sad they felt thinking they […]

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Admin Appreciation Day!

Date posted: 27th April 2026

To celebrate Admin Appreciation Day here at Deer Park Care Home, we arranged an afternoon tea for our amazing admin team. It was a great opportunity for us to show our appreciation and for our lovely ladies (including the camera-shy ones!) to get together for a chat over delicious food prepared by our team of […]

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Administrative Professionals Day!

Date posted: 27th April 2026

This month, we celebrated Administrative Professionals Day and shone a spotlight on the incredible team that keeps everything running smoothly behind the scenes. A special thank you to our wonderful receptionists, Fiona and Suzanne, who greet everyone with a warm smile and keep the front desk running seamlessly each day. And to our dedicated administrator, […]

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Circle of Friends!

Date posted: 27th April 2026

We recently had the joy of hosting our local Circle of Friends group at Cavell Park! Guests were greeted with warm cups of tea and delicious homemade cakes from our talented chef. Everyone then settled into our fabulous cinema to enjoy a film of their choice, creating a relaxed and cosy atmosphere. We wrapped up […]

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Exciting News!

Date posted: 27th April 2026

This month, Porthaven launched Perkbox, an employee benefits platform designed to give you more of what matters, from discounts to wellbeing support. This is a new way to reward, recognise and support the amazing people who make our homes special.

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Prioritising health and wellbeing of older people

Date posted: 6th December 2024

A meaningful, inclusive, and comprehensive activities and wellbeing programme is one of our four pillars of quality at Porthaven, alongside exceptional care, inspiring environments, and great food. In 2016, our leisure and wellness offering won an award for the Best Activities Team Development — which is particularly special as it has only ever been awarded […]

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Who to inform when moving into a care home

Date posted: 6th December 2024

Moving into a care home is an emotional transition for many and knowing when someone should go into a care home is different for each individual. However, ensuring you stay organised throughout the process is important to ensure the move goes smoothly. Remembering all of the people and organisations that you need to inform when […]

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Do dementia residents have to pay care home fees?

Date posted: 30th July 2024

At Porthaven Care Homes, around 70% of the residents that we care for are living with dementia and due to their memory loss and other symptoms, they are often unable to manage their financial affairs alone. So, who is responsible for paying care home fees and is there any funding available for dementia-specific illnesses? In […]

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Care home vs home care: Why choose a care home?

Date posted: 27th July 2024

As we age, we’ll likely each need a little care and support at some point. Whether that’s help carrying out day-to-day tasks, or assistance with developing medical conditions, it’s important that we take the time to choose the correct care for ourselves and our loved ones. What is the difference between a care home and […]

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Are Next of Kin Responsible for Care Home Fees?

Date posted: 24th July 2024

There is a lot to consider when moving a loved one into a care home, with one of the biggest considerations being how the fees are going to be paid and by whom. Unless a signed contract is in place, the next of kin is not responsible for the care home fees of their loved one. This article […]

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Choosing a Care Home: A Complete Guide

Date posted: 21st July 2024

Your complete guide to choosing a care home Selecting the right care home for your loved one is a significant decision that requires careful consideration and research. It means finding a place where they will be safe, well cared for, and supported to enjoy their best quality of life. In this article, we will provide you with a guide […]

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When Should Someone Go Into a Care Home?

Date posted: 15th July 2024

As we age, our health, needs, and capabilities all inevitably change. At some point, the question of whether a care home is necessary may arise. While this is a deeply personal, and often difficult decision to make, it is an important one. Ensure you consider all factors involved in order to prioritise the well-being and quality of life […]

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Porthaven Care Homes Recognised as a Top 20 Mid-size Care Home Group

Date posted: 23rd March 2023

Carehome.co.uk, which determines its ratings based on reviews from residents, service users and their family and friends, recently recognised Porthaven Care Homes as a top 20 rated mid-size care home group. With a group review score of 9.8 out of 10, this is the eighth year in a row that Porthaven have been presented with […]

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24th National Care Awards 2022: Porthaven’s Victory

Date posted: 13th December 2022

Here at Porthaven we are thrilled to announce that we were awarded ‘Best Care Home Group over 10 settings’ at the 24th National Care Awards on Saturday 26th November. The National Care Awards honour the very best within the long-term care sector by recognising those who display unending dedication towards providing exceptional care. We competed […]

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Porthaven Chefs Go Foraging with Mark Hix MBE

Date posted: 9th November 2022

At Porthaven Care Homes, food has always been one of the pillars of quality we pride ourselves upon. Our chefs play a key part in the health and wellbeing of our residents and so we ensure they are trained well and have a constant source of inspiration to create exceptional dish after exceptional dish. Over […]

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