HC-One care homes across the UK celebrated Burns Night on Monday 25
th January. Burns Night is a celebration of the life of the bard Robert Burns, his Scottish poetry, legacy and contribution to Scottish culture.
Residents at HC-One’s Douglas View care home in Hamilton celebrated Burns Night with Residents and Colleagues enjoying a wonderful day of goodies, including some Scottish samples such as Irn-Bru along with other refreshments throughout the day including scrumptious home-made shortbread. For dinner, Residents enjoyed a famous Haggis dish with neeps and tatties, after addressing the haggis. Residents ended the night with a Scottish sing-along and a tipple to drink, listening to tunes from the good old days to bring the famous Scottish celebration to a close.
Sarah Keltie, a Resident at Douglas View care home said:
"I love to sing all the old Scottish songs! My favourite is 'Bonnie Scotland.”
In celebration of Burns Night, Averill House care home in Newton Heath crafted their own Nessie, the Loch Ness Monster, using papier mâché and paint. The creation became the central feature piece of the home taking pride of place, amongst other Burns Night and Scottish themed decorations.
Marjory Burke, a Resident at Averill House care home commented:
“Wow, it looks so good with the room all decorated and the Loch Ness Monster is great.”
Residents enjoyed a beverage tasting session tasting Irn-Bru and a glass or two of Scottish whisky, as a treat to wash down their haggis meal and homemade Scottish shortbread. Residents and Colleagues delighted in reading Scottish poetry and watching televised bagpipe bands, with some Colleagues attempting to do Scottish country dancing to the music, much to the Residents amusement.
Newlands care home in Heaton Moor, Stockport celebrated the day with a variety of fun-filled activities. Everyone enjoyed reciting the Scottish bard’s famous poetry and a themed quiz was held. Residents also enjoyed participating in arts and crafts sessions creating their own Scottish decorations to enhance the aesthetic appearance of the home for the occasion. Residents also sampled traditional Scottish delicacies including haggis.
At Eastbank care home in Shettleston, Colleagues had decorated the home with Scottish bunting in celebration of Burns Night. Residents and Colleagues enjoyed a day of singing on the karaoke to their favourite Scottish tunes including breaking into a chant of the Flower of Scotland whilst enjoying a wee drop of whisky for Burns Night this year. Residents went on to devour a traditional Burns supper of haggis, neeps and tatties, followed by a glass of whisky.
Avandale Lodge care home in Cheshire took part in Burns Night celebrations as they flew their Scottish flags and tucked into a classic supper. Residents took part in a wellbeing activity involving colouring in Scottish flags with the traditional blue and white colours and displaying the Saltire, which were then cut out and transformed into bunting to decorate the dining room. Residents delighted in enjoying a home cooked Burns Supper with traditional Scottish fare, including haggis. For some Residents, it was their first taste of this Scottish delicacy.
Home Manager at Avandale Lodge Care Home, Stephen McCarthy, remarked:
“We love Burns Night and it really does give us something different to celebrate, especially as many Residents have enjoyed spending time up in Scotland throughout their life.”
At Daneside Court care home in Northwich, Residents enjoyed an evening of food, poetry and music. To celebrate the day, Residents and Colleagues came together to discuss and read a rendition of Robert Burn’s poems. Residents and Colleagues sang along to folk music and Auld Lang Syne, and listened to traditional bagpipe music. As part of the Burns Night celebrations, Residents enjoyed a classic meal of haggis, neeps and tatties, as well as raising a glass of their favourite tipple to toast Robert Burns and hosting a theatrical reading of Burns’ ‘Address to a Haggis’ by Wellbeing Co-ordinator, Sharon Lelonek.
Daneside Court’s Home Manager, Samantha Farahat said:
“It was so lovely to see the Residents engaging and celebrating the tradition of Burns Night. A special thank you to Gavin for bringing his bagpipes into work and playing for our Residents. We were well and truly spoilt.”