Last boat trip of the year!

Kingfisher 's last trip for the summer and so we celebrated Marie's birthday in style. Tea and cake on board, a gentle chug down the Medway and back to feed the swans and lovely ducks!!

 

marie feeding the swans and ducks.............Sheila and di brought along a loaf of bread for the job!

 

lovely sponge cake for marie's birthday made by Sheila, and the crew joined in to sing happy birthday!

Tea party at brenchley

Here we are at elizabeth and Joan's for tea and what a fabulous spread they put on - delicious meringues, scrummy scones with jam and cream, super chocolate cake, apple cake and lemon sponge - all washed down with cups of tea or coffee. The weather stayed fine so we were able to sit in the garden for a while, admiring the roses and lemon trees ...Gloria, Denis, Hester, Marie, Marise, patty, Doreen, Mary h, Eileen and mary p had a lovely time. A huge thank you to our excellent hosts.

You can find them in the garden!

 

peggy has been decopatching again today, joan painting pebbles, mary played scrabble with volunteer Cameron, and phyl came out for some fresh air...

 

meanwhile, Eileen was trying to finish her puzzle and to the rescue came volunteer Beth to lend a helping hand.  patty came to do some sketching in the art studio and Lucille felt like keeping her company - it is nice and cosy in the 'shed' as patty calls it!  even marise popped out for a walk around the garden - she had been watching Jon McDevitt performing this afternoon in the lounge (to a very appreciative audience) and then Ralph (another of our wonderful school volunteers) brought back a game of connect 4 that he had just enjoyed with Joan W ...

Jane came today from Compaid -she teaches residents how to use the computer - and I left Marie trying to figure out some clues on an on-line crossword - what is a dutch cheese beginning with 'M' none of us had any idea!

we have even found a new use for black bin liners and carrier bags....

 

radio kent comes to interview patty and Hilary.....

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01gcjb1

think if you move along to 2.23 minutes in you should hear start of the interview!

Patchwork quilting continues

Di and Sheila's quilt is taking shape and growing fast with a little help from our residents ...the plan is to auction the quilt at the next summer garden party ...it is certainly a labour of love.

A star in the making

BBC Radio Kent came to interview patty today for the morning show - she took it all in her stride, even managing to play a drum solo for the audience!

Show and tell...

An idea first mooted by one of our residents, we held our second session today and as it was another sunny afternoon so we decided to meet outside on the patio.

A very interesting array of items sparked lovely memories and discussions and the time went so quickly....first was Patty who showed us her bag!  she always carries a tote bag on her shoulder, with her bits and pieces in (newspaper, pens and pencils etc) and today she laid it out on the table to show us the design. to our amazement she told us that she had not only made the bag, but designed and embroidered the front panel.  apparently, after her husband died she took up embroidery classes (as well as painting) and this was the result.  we all agreed it was a stunning piece of work!  She also pulled out two pebbles she had painted recently which could be used as paperweights!! is there no end to her talents?

Eileen produced a little black cat ornament, which turned out to have been made of coal!  there was a lovely story about how she came to buy it.....then marie showed us a treasured possession - an amazing card, signed by Lord Mountbatten, which was given to her late brother for his service during the war....Marise shared a very old magazine with Oscar Wilde on the front cover which belonged to her father ....and mary p revealed her hidden talents - a beautifully bound book (in its own special box) that she had written some years ago & her husband had illustrated - all about the wildflowers of the Tunbridge wells common!

....meanwhile peggy had been working away while listening to everyone's stories, sorting  and testing out a huge box of pens - and inadvertently produced her own original piece of art which we have turned into some greeting cards!

 

 

After tea we did a bit of art therapy - using the colouring books and felt pens ...before one of our lovely volunteers from school arrived, so Mary F went off to play scrabble and Joan's family paid her a visit....

 

 

Rummikub in the sunshine

Joan's daughter had brought in one of her fav games to play and today Eileen and Hester joined her for a battle on the patio! Never played it before but it was good fun once all rules were explained...!

quiet reflection

anne asked to visit St Augustine's today in Tunbridge wells and Sandy was on hand to accompany her.

Full house

While Peggy, Mary,Joan,Helen and Anne were enjoying the late sunshine , the usual group for bingo were busy winning prizes inside! We did persuade Joan w to Go for a walk in the garden where we met up with lucille but she didn't want to stay out for long!

Summer returns...

Zumba gold Thursday

Kyle came to put the residents through their paces today... And they all really enjoyed themselves - even Karen joined in

Something in the air ...

An amazing interview took place today with our patty and a reporter from the courier (complete with film ' crew') to find out the story behind her wish to play the drums! The story and video will be available on-line soon - we will keep you posted

Elsewhere, there was a good crowd for keep fit - a very popular weekly date with sue
The arty set were in full swing in the games room and visitors coming and going...

Remembering Susan Howard-Smith...

...at a special memorial tea in the lounge today.  the residents shared their stories about Susan and someone produced a photo of Susan with fellow resident Helen before they both came to be at MEH.  she will be remembered as a gentle, quiet lady with a quick wit, lovely smile and great sense of humour.  some of the MEH staff attended her funeral service today at St Augustine's church in Tunbridge Wells where we were able to celebrate her life with her family and closest friends.

 

The golf day...friday 13th ...lucky for some!

Karen Cooper, Manager at MEH, hosted this year's Charity Golf  Day at Lamberhurst Golf Club in Kent. After thanking everyone for organizing, taking part, sponsoring and supporting this event, She presented the prizes to the winning team: 'Tim's Boys',  runners up 'the Pigs' and the losing team (who shall remain anonymous!) She also awarded a prize to the winner of the 'longest drive
' Dino Myers-Lamptey, and 'nearest the pin' - Christopher Ward

the final total raised on the day has yet to be confirmed, but we think it will be just over £1700!

 

with a generous offering of raffle prizes from local business and individuals as well as a silent auction and an open auction, we raised over £430...

and they're off...Hannah and Karen stood on the first tee taking photo's of each of our 10 teams as they took their opening shots....some of which we couldn't possibly show here!

winning team  won travel bags, and trophies, runners up  received pitch markers and a medal each and the losing team went home with a wooden spoon complete with golf ball.  there were golf balls and trophies for the' nearest the pin' and 'longest drive' winners too.

the tables are laid up for the two- course presentation dinner in the newly refurbished dining room which looked very impressive.

 

 

here is David of the 'team captain's' relaxing after his 18 hole round....its thanks to him and his friends at Lamberhurst that we get to hold our event at his club. A very generous and kind group of people who have always been supportive of Mount Ephraim House and its residents.  David's wife, Elizabeth has been a volunteer at MEH for over 4 years.

 

In all, we had 10 teams competing and 26 local businesses who sponsored our event;  on behalf of the residents at MEH we would like to say a huge thankyou to everyone involved.

 

 

 

 

thanks are due to: wendy heesom, penny and roy berry, Pauline dean, simply unite, focal point training,chaps barbers, tutor care training, twydall carpets, henry paul funeral directors, printwells of Tunbridge wells, motivation & co, music for health, cory environmental, allsop & francis, eye concern of southborough, fairs & green, black pig pub and restaurant, goodridge electrical, oliver green,rusthall, alphabet bags, barons furniture, aged care channel, Maxim PR, Pelican recruitment, ultrastone resins, apetito.

Mad rush getting ready for golf day ...

Lots going on today - hairdressing computer lessons, art and craft, Zumba gold ... Lots of visitors, a new arrival, and Beth's visit from school . Last minute preparations for golf day tomorrow - luckily Eileen was on hand to assist

Remembering Sylvia

Sylvia White died peacefully at MEH a few days ago and her funeral was held today. We held a memorial tea in the lounge and shared some stories about her time with us. She is remembered as a clever, witty person, who enjoyed her daily dose of fresh air with a cigarette in the garden! she loved art and opera and she had written several childrens books as Sylvia scott white ...
 http://sylviascottwhite.ponymadbooklovers.co.uk/

 She will be sadly missed.

Patty's first drum lesson!