Jane told our Wellbeing Team about the fond memories she had of watching live wrestling matches with her late husband. These were special occasions for the couple and the outings meant a lot to them. She wished that she was still young enough to watch wrestling live and not just on the television. We don’t consider 97 to be too old for anything, so we organised a special trip to watch a special live wrestling match in Thornbury. Jane was in her element from the moment we arrived and her expressive reactions to the fight put a smile on everyone’s face. Jane was fully immersed in the match, laughing, gasping, punching the air and ‘high fiving’ wrestlers as they passed by. The highlight for Jane was meeting her heroes in a ‘meet and greet’ experience after the match.

Once a member of Bristol Vintage Bus Group, Roland remembered seeing a particular bus go past his house every day with a very specific registration number. He always wanted to ride that bus, but it was so long ago. After a bit of research, and with the help of the Bristol Vintage Bus Group, we managed to track down the exact vehicle. When the bus arrived at Katherine & Griffiths House with the driver in full vintage uniform, Roland was speechless, but only for a moment! He boarded the bus and invited staff and residents to join him for a guided tour of Bristol. We all had a fantastic ride, passing some of Roland’s favourite places, including the church where he married his beloved wife.

What an unforgettable day we had making a wish come true for Griffiths House resident, Denise as part of our One Wish Project. This was a fantastic example of team work between our close knit community and a beautiful occasion for many residents, families and staff members. We would like to thank everyone involved for making this a perfect day that will go down in Katherine House & Griffiths House history! Denise wanted to go out on a boat and so the Wellbeing Team got to work by reaching out to The Willow Trust , an amazing organisation who provide a unique opportunity for people of all ages, care home residents and people with a disability or serious illness to enjoy a therapeutic day out on the water. Their large canal boats are purpose built to be accessible with ramps, a lift to the wheelhouse, low windows and an adjustable steering helm so we could all take a turn at the wheel! We cannot recommend the self funded organisation enough, run predominantly by wonderful volunteers. This outing was supported by the Wellbeing Team, members of the care team, management team and our minibus driver. Residents from both Katherine House and Griffiths House were able to attend this outing and there was lots of excitement as we boarded the boat. Attendees were full of smiles and we were so lucky with the sunny weather, spending lots of time outside on the front deck admiring the beautiful views of the countryside and wildlife. We surprised Denise with a captain hat on board and she took her new role very seriously! Wearing her captain hat with pride, Denise left the boat telling us the day was a dream come true and one she would never forget. We certainly won’t either! 💕

In her younger years, Betty spent time in the USA where she was a successful model and a dancer. Betty wished to be transported back in time to the hay day of her youth, so we threw a surprise Hollywood themed party, with a red carpet, catwalk, photoshoot, sparkly decorations, an amazing three-tier cake and live entertainment with a set entitled ‘hits from the silver screen’.

Betty was completely surprised and absolutely thrilled, even more so because it was her 100th birthday and she was presented with a letter from the Queen to top off a magical birthday.

Katherine House resident, Ian, went to University in Edinburgh and spent most of his adult life in Scotland, raising his children there. The Wellbeing Team put on a fabulous Scottish occasion for him to help him to reminisce about his past, sourcing the talented bagpipes player, James Meiklehohn, to play beautiful traditional music for everyone. James started playing the bagpipes in Edinburgh nearly 15 years ago where he received high level tuition from some of the best pipers in Scotland. He is now a front-rank player with the top pipe band in London and he continues to receive tuition from a number of top players around the world. His skill was very evident in this beautiful concert and Ian was delighted to be able to share this experience with his family and a huge audience of staff residents from both homes. It was lovely to see everyone joining in! Wellbeing Coordinator, Sabina, worked with Ian’s son, David, and his daughter in law, Felicity, to ensure there was a variety of recognisable songs for Ian and the audience to reminisce to. David is a part of a choir, and he participated in the event by leading some of the songs and symphonies. This was a very beautiful and moving experience and Ian was so proud to join in, with his family leading the way. Staff were encouraged to wear tartan and the Wellbeing Team covered the event space in Scottish bunting. We would also like to thank our chef, Nick, for making Ian’s choice of a delicious chocolate cake to share with his family afterwards.

Leonard and Meera wished for a romantic dinner to celebrate their long and happy marriage, so our head chef prepared a fantastic three course meal inspired by Leonard and Meera’s Asian heritage, while the Wellbeing Team created a beautiful setting and became waitresses for the afternoon.

With flowers, special decorations and romantic music, Leonard and Meera dressed up for the occasion and enjoyed every moment.

Margaret often speaks about her many happy family outings to Bristol Zoo and she was sad to hear that it was closing, fearing that she’d never have the opportunity to visit the Zoo again. Her wish was to visit the Zoo one last time before the doors closed forever, so we organised a special visit for Margaret and her friends. Everyone had a wonderful day out, with Margaret providing fascinating facts about the animals she remembered seeing at the Zoo in her youth.

Simon has been a huge fan of all things flora and fauna since he was a child, so when our Wellbeing Team suggested that he might enjoy a special visit to the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition at Bristol Museum & Art Gallery, he couldn’t say yes fast enough!

Accompanied by fellow residents and members of staff, Simon’s One Wish experience included a tour of the many fascinating exhibits at the museum, a chance to discuss his favourite exhibits over tea and cake, and then VIP entry into the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition, which featured soundscapes, videos, expert insights and stunning photography that captured animal behaviour, spectacular species, and the breathtaking diversity of the natural world.

John was once the chairman of a music ‘Organ Society’ and he spent many years attending organ festivals and concerts with his late wife, creating wonderful memories that remain very close to John’s heart.

When a talented musician arrived at Katherine & Griffiths House to play all of John’s favourite songs, he was absolutely speechless! Joined by family members and fellow residents, John had a front row seat to watch and listen as the wonderful music created a merry atmosphere. Before long, everyone was singing along and dancing.

Anne is a huge nature enthusiast and as a member of the Avon Wildlife Trust, she has spent much of her life volunteering to protect wildlife and enabling it to thrive across the region. When our One Wish team suggested that she might enjoy an exciting exotic animal experience, Anne couldn’t wait!

Local company Rockin’ Reptiles arrived with a host of fascinating exotic animals including tiny chameleons, bearded dragons and snakes, not to mention the star of the show, a 12 ft Burmese python called Barry!

Leonard was once a professional jazz singer and he was well known in music clubs in London, where he met the love of his life as he was performing. His musical achievements include singing with a prestigious orchestra, and he is a real natural on the stage. The Wellbeing Team invited talented jazz musicians, Maya & Jonathon, to come in to perform timeless jazz classics. Leonard was given the opportunity to sing his favourite songs with them; the musicians were given notice about this and learnt songs of Leonards choice, practising with him before the big show. Leonard began sitting in the front row, and he could be heard loudly ‘scatting’ with the musicians, using his voice as an instrument to improvise the melody and rhythms of the music. After this, it was amazing to see Leonard proudly take to the stage with true professionalism; he received a huge round of applause from the audience and his music career shined through.  This was a very heartwarming occasion and as you can see, to this day Leonard is still a star.

Ian, is a huge fan or classical music and a life-long listener of Beethoven. When approached about the One Wish Project, Ian told us he wished to see a live orchestra. The Wellbeing Team got in touch with Bristol Beacon about an upcoming concert they were organising in the city centre, hosting The Aurora Orchestra at Bristol Cathedral. The Aurora Orchestra gives famously electrifying performances at the very highest international standard and for this concert they were to perform Beethoven Symphony No.5 completely from memory. This concert was curated especially for an audience of care home residents to be able to enjoy the virtuosic experience of the Aurora Orchestra. The concert was an amazing and immersive experience; there was a huge number of talented musicians in the orchestra and they surrounded the audience in the cathedral, moving around the residents as they played. This unique design of the concert ensured the performance was accessible for everyone; residents were truly absorbed by the powerful concert, made even more epic by the acoustics of the grand cathedral. Its difficult to put into words how moving the concert was and there wasn’t a dry eye in sight! Ian himself was moved to tears, in amazement by what he had witnessed. The concert caught the attention of ITV news and Ian and residents from both homes were so excited to recognise themselves on the TV! After the concert, Ian got to speak to world renowned conductor of the orchestra, Nicholas Collon, Chief Conductor of the Finnish Radio Symphony and Founder and Principal Conductor of the Aurora Orchestra. Ian told us this is a day he will never forget.

Katherine House resident, Pat, is a lover of all things musical theatre and ballet. One of her earliest fond memories is going to see the Wizard of Oz at three years old, sitting on a relative’s knee. Pat loves the story and the warm memories that the musical brings. As part of the One Wish Project, The Wellbeing Team arranged an outing for Pat and friends to see the Wizard of Oz ballet at The Redgrave Theatre (performed by Ballet Theatre UK). Pat was so delighted to be treated to her ticket and share the occasion with fellow residents and staff in the home. The performance was a ballet adaption of the iconic tale by L. Frank Baum, told through the magic of classical dance and set to a classical score, bringing the story to life. The production was fantastic, presented with beautiful backdrops, stunning theatrical sets and costumes evoking the iconic sketches by W.W. Denslow, from the original publication. The ballerinas were extremely talented, the music was beautifully moving and the lights and smoke were exceedingly atmospheric. Pat could not stop smiling and she thanked everyone for making this special occasion happen.

Jennifer, is a lover of classical music and she told us her wish would be to have a classical musician come in to perform here. The Wellbeing Team got to work by sourcing a violinist, Alison, with a fantastic classical repertoire and years of experience in the field. Liaising with Jennifer and her daughter, we were able to find out the most special pieces of music to Jennifer and her favourite composers. Some of these pieces of music were especially important to Jennifer due to the memories they bring of her late husband. The violinist was informed about these special pieces of music so we could tailor a classical concert specially for her. Jennifer and her daughter were reserved seats at the very front of the stage and we positioned the seats to appear like a theatre; all were so pleased to share this experience. Jennifer and the Wellbeing Team put plans in place for Jennifer have the special role of opening the concert; it was very heart-warming to see her proudly take to the stage to do this and thank everyone for coming. An audience of residents from Katherine House & Griffiths House were so pleased to be able to share this special event together.  Jennifer enjoys reading information, so the Wellbeing Coordinator created a large photographic booklet for her, personalised with the violinist’s set list and information about each composer in the concert. Jennifer was full of praise towards the Wellbeing Team and her daughter praised the team for their efforts, calling the Wellbeing Team ‘stars’. What a dream come true for Jennifer!

Proud Londoner, Joan, is the biggest Broadway fan you’ll ever meet. When she’s not singing along to songs from classic musicals, she can be heard reminiscing about how she saw all the big shows on the stage in London. Escaping into the magic of a musical was common practise when Joan was young and the smile on Joan’s face when reliving the beauty of the familiar songs is evident that music takes Joan to a very happy place. For the One Wish Project, The Wellbeing Team brought Broadway to the home as this is Joan’s passion.

We sourced ‘A Spoonful of Sugar’ concert, a sell-out tribute to the music and films of national treasure, Dame Julie Andrews. Joan was ecstatic at the opportunity to see the magnificent show in her own home; she was very impressed that the show was to be performed by an incredibly talented London based performer, Ellamae Cieslik, who performs on the stage in London herself. Ellamae has an incredible voice and the show charted the music and career of the true living legend of the stage and silver screen, Dame Julie Andrews. From her early work treading the boards on Broadway, through to her award-winning movies that have long since become national institutions, Ellamae not only brought her music to life, but also gave the audience insight into the life of the very British icon, encouraging a reminiscence along the way. Joan had a tear in her eye as she sang along to music from Mary Poppins, The Sound of Music, and The King and I, amongst other recognisable songs throughout her musical life. Joan was joined by the Wellbeing Team and a huge crowd of excited residents from Katherine House & Griffiths to watch she show. The room was full of singing and the Wellbeing Team could not hold back a tear when witnessing an uplifted but emotional Joan singing ‘Fly a Kite’ from Mary Poppins. After the concert, Joan told Ellamae that she had ‘done Dame Julie Andrews proud’ and she thanked everyone involved for making this unforgettable special occasion happen for her.

Griffiths House resident, Norma, is an animal lover through and through. Norma proudly claims that she prefers animals to people, and she has had beloved pets throughout her life that have brought her joy and companionship. Norma wished to spend the day amongst animals and so we made her dream come true as part of the One Wish Project. We arranged an outing to Noah’s Ark, an award-winning zoo set on a working farm in 100 acres of beautiful, peaceful North Somerset countryside. Norma was delighted to hear that the home would be treating her and her daughter to tickets as part of this project. The outing was also attended by the wellbeing team, management, members of the care team and her fellow residents. On our exciting adventure, we were able to see a great variety of animals including giraffes, rhinos, monkeys and lions. Residents had the opportunity to stroke baby farm animals and best of all, Norma was able to hold a snake, one of her favourites! Norma was so grateful that this brought tears to her eyes. It was a sunny day and residents were treated to delicious ice creams, as well as a packed lunch under the trees. Thank you to everyone who made this outing so special.

Griffiths House resident, Angela, has a passion for ballet. Having lived in London for many years, Angela proudly tells stories of the grand theatrical shows she has seen on the big stage.  As part of the homes One Wish Project, the Wellbeing Team gave Angela the opportunity to go and see a ballet performance at the theatre, but she did not want to go ahead with this. Instead, Wellbeing Coordinator, Sabina, got in touch with Ballet Bristol, a community ballet company with a rich history of providing dance to people in care and making this experience accessible to them. The Wellbeing Team met with Artistic Director, Holly Stubbs, to discuss Angela’s interests and arrange an uplifting show for her in her home. On the day, a large cast of ballerinas in extravagant costumes came in to perform the show which had elements of the famous ballets: Esmerelda, Swan Lake and The Nutcracker; Angela sat in the front row and she was delighted to share this beautiful performance with residents of Katherine House & Griffiths House. Wellbeing Assistants, Raj & Ruby, came in at the weekend to support this special occasion to ensure that all residents could enjoy the wonderful experience. Residents were incredibly moved by the familiar music and talented dancers;  Angela could not stop smiling all afternoon.

Katherine House resident, Elizabeth, has always been an active member of the community, making positive contributions to the world and giving up her own time to support charitable causes.

When approached about the One Wish Project, Elizabeth asked to use this opportunity to help those less fortunate than she is. The Wellbeing Team spent 121 time with Elizabeth discussing ideas about how she could achieve her goal, suggesting a variety of local charities that Elizabeth could support. Elizabeth selected St Mungo’s, a charity fighting to end homelessness and help people living on the streets to rebuild their lives. Wellbeing Coordinator, Sabina, supported Elizabeth to promote her very own charity Afternoon Tea on social media, inviting friends and family of the home to come along and make a small donation to St Mungo’s, in exchange for a cream tea. Wellbeing Coordinator, Sabina, supported Elizabeth to make her own ‘Just Giving’ page to encourage donations to St Mungo’s and contacted St Mungo’s to invite an employee to come along to the event as our guest of honour.

On the day of the Afternoon Tea, the Wellbeing Team decorated the dining room beautifully and adjusted the layout to encourage conversations around the room. The event was very well attended by residents, family members and friends, and it was wonderful to see such a jolly atmosphere. Head Chef, Nick, prepared a grand Afternoon Tea displayed on fine China, which was the talk of the home. We were delighted to be joined by Alex, a spokesperson from St Mungo’s, who said a few words about the charity and their mission; Elizabeth was very proud to sit at the head table with Alex and learn about how her donations will go towards helping those in need. Combining the ‘Just Giving’ donations and the amount raised at the Afternoon Tea, Elizabeth raised a whopping £438.00 for St Mungo’s and this was later matched by The Cote Charity.  Residents and guests at the Afternoon were so impressed with Elizabeths efforts to raise money for this fantastic cause and happy to be a part of this memorable occasion.

The Wellbeing Team are delighted to have made a dream come true for Griffiths House resident, Gerry, as part of the homes One Wish Project. It’s no secret that Gerry has a passion for live music, and she has a history of supporting and watching bands throughout her life. When she’s not listening to the Everly Brothers, she can be seen grooving along to The Beatles with a twinkle in her eye. The Wellbeing Team invited talented musician Shelly from Mini Concerts to come in and perform a tribute to The Beatles and tell their story. Gerry had a front row seat and as you can see, she was fully immersed in the show, holding hands with our Wellbeing Coordinator with joy. What a beautiful afternoon for Gerry and all residents attending; all were able to take a trip down memory lane in this shared experience of iconic music from their past.