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Springdene Newsletter 18th November 2024

The leaves are drifting down from the trees, memories of summer are fading and there’s a chill in the air.  But all was warm and cheerful as we celebrated the Grand Reopening of Spring Lane to mark the culmination of major enhancement works.  There was a multiplicity of activities, including a raffle and a tombola and a sumptuous choice of food and drink. The local fire brigade came along to give a demonstration.

Folk gathered in the smart new lounge and dining room to hear a jazz band play favourite melodies and to tuck into delicious food.  Residents and guests queued up to peer into the future in the fortune-teller’s tent.  Meanwhile the cake-stand, with some superb home-made goodies, was doing brisk business.

One of the high points was the Springdene Dog Show (pictured), where well-preened pooches put their best paw forward to parade for a prize in various doggy categories.  There was much amusement when Alfie, an eight-year-old Bedlington Terrier was judged to be winner in the waggiest tail category!

The day ended with folk taking to the dance floor, with some of the sprightliest steps coming from the residents themselves.  We were delighted that so many of our neighbours in Muswell Hill took the trouble to pop in to inspect the high quality of the new works.

Now the builders at Spring Lane are concluding, the attention of our refurbishment teams is turning to Spring Grove, where a whole floor is being refurbished to install brand new wet-rooms.  The work is expected to take six or seven months, but we are excited that we will eventually have a state-of-the-art home for our discerning Hampstead residents.

As well as looking forward to the modernisation of our estates, we have been delighted to welcome new staff – in particular Grace Ramalho who has joined us as manager of Springview.  Grace has a wealth of experience in care, with over 30 years as a registered home manager and a degree in healthcare management.  She is already settling in nicely and is proving popular with residents and staff.

We’re also pleased to announce a new role for our award-winning in-house artist Odile Kidd, who has been inspiring Spring Grove residents with her creative vision for many years.  Many will recall the exhibition at Camden Arts Centre which she helped to curate, involving some of our residents.  Odile brings her experience as an in-house artist at the Natural History Museum.

Now Odile is to become “Engagement Wellbeing Coordinator Art Specialist” and will in future support all three homes on a part-time basis.  Art creation is at the heart of care-home life and Odile’s energy will ensure it continues to thrive at Springdene.

Sadly, though, it’s goodbye to one of the great stalwarts of Springdene – Sue Gilks, our resident services manager.  Nothing escapes Sue’s eagle-eye, and she has been responsible over a dozen years for the exceptionally high standards in the homes.  We wish Sue all the very best in her retirement.  Good wishes, too, to our catering manager Mark Gates, who is off to pastures new.

There is no finer aspect to Springdene than our work for charity, and on this front, we are pleased to announce we are channelling our fund-raising efforts towards a new organisation – the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.  The charity is celebrating its bicentenary this year and is an essential part of our emergency services, even though receiving no funds from the government.  Did you know that the RNLI saved 355 lives last year?

Meanwhile our existing charity, Medical Detection Dogs, goes from strength to strength.  Springdene families and residents have raised an astonishing £40,000 to sponsor the amazing dogs that can sniff out a range of illnesses, including Covid and diabetes.  We hear that dogs are now being trained to detect prostate cancer – one of the biggest killers of men in Britain.  This pioneering work could not have been done without your donations.

As the year draws to an end, we are taking stock of recent political changes and how they affect the care sector.  We had hoped that the incoming government might have got to grips with developing a long-needed coherent strategy for care.  But so far this has not materialised, while the NHS is receiving a major boost in funds and is to be the subject of substantial reform.

However, like other care-home operators, we are facing a sizeable hike in employee National Insurance contributions, announced in the Budget.  We are just doing our sums to assess how this will affect us when it is introduced in the spring.

On a cheerier note, the Springdene Christmas party season is about to begin – joyously as always.  Over at Springview, the big day is on November 28, when the Christmas lights are switched on.  Kathy Dunn, who organises it brilliantly each year, tells us the occasion will be bigger and better than ever.

A new troupe of illuminated elves has been acquired, and once again the snow machine will be cranking into action.  “We’ve got so many lights,” reckons Kathy, “that you’ll be able to see us from space.”

Meanwhile, over the coming weeks, all our homes will be getting out the decorations, installing the Christmas firs and honing up delicious festive menus.  There are few things as cosy and warm as Christmas at Springdene.  We can’t wait!