News

Keep up-to-date with the latest news from South Downs Care as well as information on events and developments at both homes. 

Take a look at our Facebook Page by following this link- South Downs Care

DECEMBER 4 2023

Christmas Movie

Residents welcomed staff and their little humans to enjoy a Christmas movie together in their lounge. We enjoyed Santa Clause the Movie wearing Christmas PJ's, with popcorn and of course Hot Chocolate and Marshmallows. 


DECEMBER 1 2023

Christmas Tree o Christmas Tree

Christmas decorations going up. It's starting to feel a little festive. 

 


DECEMBER 1 2023

Festive spirit

Getting in the festive spirit at Stroud House with a little Tree.


NOVEMBER 1 2023

Dot's Swim for Dementia

We try to help residents to continue with existing hobbies and to try new experiences. So, when Dot said she wanted to go swimming again we were only to happy to support her. 

Dot is 83 years old and is a fantastic swimmer, often clocking up between 20-26 lengths a session. When Dot saw the swim for Dementia campaign advertised by the Alzheimer's society she was keen to get involved.

With the help of her swimming buddy Alison Dot is taking on the challenge to swim 5 miles to raise money and awareness for the charity. Thats a whooping 322 lengths!

We have helped Dot to set up a just giving page to collect her donations. If you would like to support Dot please follow this link -  Dot's Swim

 


OCTOBER 31 2023

Inter-generational Group

Thank you to Stepping Stones Playgroup for visiting us today. We love the joy and fun the children bring to the home. There were some very spooky costumes and lots of games to play together. 


JUNE 7 2023

Hanging Baskets Time

Its time to plant the hanging baskets in our Gardening Club. Residents choose and purchased the plants on an outing to the garden centre. Now its time to plant their selection of flowers, including Petunias, Busy Lizzie and Loblia, there's probably a few more.  


JUNE 6 2023

Pimm's at The Chocolate Frog

Venturing out to many different places. Todays visit was to the Chocolate Frog Tea Rooms in Bordon. 

This little treasure is a local family run business, a tea room set in the Hampshire Country Side surrounded by boutique shopping barns, fashion, stationery, Art and much more. 

We have been here many times, but todays treat was a Pimm's in the Garden, what more do you want on a summers day!


JUNE 3 2023

Staff & Resident Socials

Today was Doughnut Day. Everybody loves a treat, we took this opportunity to welcome residents, staff and families to a Doughnut Day Social. The doughnuts went down a treat with our little visitors. 

For more photos of our Doughnut Day visit our Facebook page - South Downs Care


JUNE 2 2023

Belly Dancing!

We have a lot of dancers at South Downs Care, some pros in Foxtrot, Waltz and even the Jive, one or two have even won competitions in their younger years. But none of us have ever tried belly dancing! well you're never too old to try something new, so we did. 

Residents and staff put on the coin skirts and tried their hand, or rather their bellies, at some belly dancing. It's not as easy as it looks, but we gave it a go, and had a lot of laughter trying. 

Maria gave us a master class in belly rolling, and some of us had a go at playing some belly dancing music with the drum. Although we couldn't master the art of belly rolling, we did manage to shake our hips and make some music with the coin skirts. 

It was great fun - check out our facebook page to see a video of our efforts-  South Downs Care take on Belly Dancing.


MAY 31 2023

Garden shopping

We all get involved in all aspects of the home- today's focus was the garden, we went to B&Q to choose some flowers for gardening club ready for the hanging baskets. 


MAY 25 2023

5* Rating

Well done team on another 5* food hygiene rating at Downs House. 

A huge congratulations on to our catering team and colleagues at Signature Dining raking 11th place in the 30 top places to work in hospitality 2023. 


MAY 19 2023

Soaring heights

Out and about exploring. Today we took to the skies with a trip up the Spinnaker Tower, Portsmouth. The tower stands at a whooping 170 meters heigh and -Wow what a view! With floor to ceiling glass all round and a view of 23 miles, we could see right across to Gosport and The Isle of Wight. We had a great view of the harbour and could see all the ships coming in and out of port. With views across the Solent all 3 forts in the sea were visible, Spit Bank Fort, Horse Sand Fort & St Helens Fort. The Views really were incredible. 

As if that wasn't brave enough, we took a leap of faith across The Sky Walk. Taking off our shoes and walking across the glass floor 100 meters above the harbour. To see a video of our trip visit our Facebook Page - South Downs Care Facebook.


MAY 18 2023

Oh you Beautiful, Beautiful Creature

We've heard of the Tiger that came to Tea, but what about the Alpacas that came for coffee!

Well that's what happened this morning at South Downs Care. 

Can you imagine a knock on your bedroom door to open it and see its an Alpaca visiting! Wow what a surprise. definitely not something you see every day. 

What a smile these guys made. Some many residents were surprised to see the Dunreyth Alpacas in their living room! There were lots of smiles, lots of petting and even a good old head to head rub and cuddle - comment of the day -Oh you Beautiful, Beautiful Creature. To see a video of the Alpacas that came for coffee visit our Facebook page - South Downs Care Facebook 


MAY 10 2023

Cuddle Ducks, Donald & Daisy

We have some amazing staff at South Downs Care. Always think of ways to put a smile on the faces of the people in our care. 

Of Course in true fashion, when Ashleigh acquired 2 ducklings at home she didn't waste any time bring them in to meet the team. 

Donald and Daisy were 11 days old on their first visit and have been back several times since. What a treat. 


MAY 6 2023

Long Live the King

We celebrated the Kings coronation with an event that spanned 3 days. 

Getting to know the Royals day, quizzing, remininiscing, there were a lot of memories of street parties and community spirit. and Royal Bingo. 

Live streaming of the corionation followed by a banquet fit for a king. We made our own coronation pudding which was delicious. 

Lastly a street party followed by live music with of course the very popular Jelly and Ice cream. 

Visit our Facebook Page for more photos of our coronation celebrations -South Downs Care Facebook 


APRIL 25 2023

Crazy Critters Visit South Downs Care

We love all kinds of animals at South Downs Care, even the creepy kind, Snails, Scales, Lizards and legs. 

Zoo Lab brought their Crazy Critters to meet us today. See our video on our Facebook page to see how it went - Zoo Lab Visit 


APRIL 14 2023

Easter Parade

As per South Downs Care tradition this years Easter Bonnet Parade went ahead on Friday. There were lots of designs with feathers, eggs and of course little chicks. 

Our winners for 3rd, 2nd and 1st enjoyed a chocolaty treat that was share with all. 


APRIL 7 2023

Feathers at the ready - Pony Pals visit

Pony Pals visited for some animal therapy. We had cuddles with the Guinea Pig Gang and were treated to a race. Our feathery friends took to the floor to see who would win in a food race, no wings allowed!

To see the full video of their visit follow this link to our facebook page where you will find more posts and vidos of what we get upto. - South Downs Care Facebook Pony Pals Visit.


APRIL 6 2023

Sky Park Farm

Have you ever visited Sky Park Farm in Petersfield?

It was a treat to see so many Deer and their Fawn, even better to be able to feed them. It was a special experience and we all had such a lovely day. We are blessed to have so many wonderful things to see and do in our community. The tea was pretty good too!


MARCH 19 2023

Happy Mothers Day

Mothers Day was spent enjoying a poetry afternoon with an Afternoon Tea and a discussion on where the Afternoon Tea/ High Tea originated.

We discovered High Tea is an Australian term and Afternoon Tea is a English term, both are the same thing, a light afternoon meal consisting of sandwiches, cakes and of course tea. Afternoon Tea was introduced in the 1940s by Queen Victoria's lifelong friend, Anna Dutchess of Bedford.

We also discovered putting your pinkie up is impolite, who knew!

You can find out more about Afternoon Tea here.


MARCH 18 2023

Red Nose PJ Day

We spent the afternoon with our favourite Nursery,  our friends from Stepping Stones. The Children, Residents and Staff spent the afternoon playing games, they were split into teams and played various games scoring points and cheering each other on. We had so much fun, we had lost count of the score board and decided everyone was a winner! We finished the afternoon with story time. 

To support Red Nose Day follow this link- Red Nose Day 2023


MARCH 18 2023

St Patrick Day 2023

Any excuse to dress up!

We played a rainbow parachute game and Craft club made some gonk leprechaun's.

Did you know that Gonks originate from Scandinavian folklore and are thought to be their version of Santa Clause. 


MARCH 3 2023

A Trek for Alzheimers

Our wonderful Head of Care Sophie, is taking on the Trek 26 Marathon around London to raise awareness and money for The Alzheimer's Society. The event is on 3rd June and she will be joined by her partner Chris. 

The Alzheimer's Society is a charity really close to our hearts, and we a very proud of Sophie for taking on this challenge to support this charity. Sophie, having worked at Stroud House for 7 years, knows only to well the effects this disease has on individuals and their loved ones. She supports the people at our dementia home Stroud house with their day to day lives, improving their quality of life and supporting their families. 

If you would like to support Sophie and the Alzheimer's Society, you can make a donation to her Just Giving Page by following this link - Sophies Trek


FEBRUARY 22 2023

Annual Pancake Flipping Competition

Our annual Pancake flipping competition got underway with some very strong competitors. 

Pancake flipping rules - 30 seconds to flip one pancake as many times as possible. We are not fussy, if the whole pancake comes off of the pan that counts as a flip. 

Once the group stages we complete, the top scores move into the quarter finals, followed by the semi-finals and then the final. 

The winning flipper won by 2 points with 19 flips in 30 seconds. Although this was not their highest score, in the quarter finals they "flipped" 34 times in 30 seconds!!


FEBRUARY 14 2023

We love you lots!

Valentine's Day celebrated in style with a Dinner and Dance.

Also reminding ourselves what we love this Valentine's Day 

  • Each other 
  • Our Family
  • Our Planet
  • Ourselves 
  • and of course, some Chocolate - this one was quite popular!


JANUARY 24 2023

Happy New Year

Happy New year 

January the month of the come down following the hype of Christmas. Dark mornings, cold weather and broken resolutions. 

January blues - low mood, tiredness, and lack of motivation. What are we going to do to take on the January Blues- Panto of course, oh no you didn't, oh yes we did!

Carousel theatre company visited both homes with their Jack and the Bean Stalk Panto, it was a great pick me up to take on January, it was so good we have already booked them for again next January! 

We also got stuck into some craft, model making, flower arranging and enjoyed a high tea or two.


DECEMBER 11 2022

Christmas Carols with the Salvation Army

Beautiful Carol Service with the Petersfield Salvation Army. We really enjoy their visits. Good old-fashioned carol singing with live music from the very talented brass band.


DECEMBER 1 2022

Christmas visit to Kendell Nurseries winter walk.

Outings are so important, it can be difficult to think of interesting places to visit during the colder months of the year. We really enjoy the Christmas display at Keydell Nurseries in Horndean. The Woodland Walk is full of colour and lights and is very well put together with lots to see. It will definitely get you in the Christmas spirit.  


NOVEMBER 30 2022

Baby Shower

Ellie is off on Maternity Leave, but not before a little baby shower. 

Residents and staff wished Ellie well as she prepares for the new addition to her family. We had lots of fun with games, gift's and cake. 

We cant wait to meet baby!


NOVEMBER 21 2022

Children in Need fundraiser

South Downs Care and Stepping Stones Playgroup put on their wellies and walking boots for an intergenerational Autumn walk around Petersfeild Heath to raise money for BBC Children in Need.

The walk took place at Petersfield Heath today 18th November at 10:30am. We stopped along the way for a word game to see how many words we could find for each letter of PUDSEY. 

The walk was a great success, everybody enjoyed the time together, we received many donations from passers-by into our buckets. We came across some puddles on the way, it was only right that we gave them a little splash. 

On one of our stops the group enjoyed a singalong to some well-known nursery rhymes led by the children.

We finished our walk with a well-deserved cuppa at the Plump Duck cafe.

Thank you to everyone who has supported us and donated. We raised £110.58 for Children in Need. 


NOVEMBER 14 2022

Congratulations Karen

Another memeber of the team progressing through our career pathway. Congratulations Karen on passing your level 2 Certificate in Understanding the Safe Handling of Medication in Health and Social Care.


NOVEMBER 11 2022

Remembrance Day

Remembrance Service today

We reflected on the meaning of Armistice Day. Residence took part in a service with poems read by individual residence, Hymns sang by all, including a rendition of the National Anthem Good Save The King. Our wreath was handmade by our craft group earlier in the week and laid by a resident on our memorial table during the service. 

We remembered the service and sacrifice of all those that have defended our freedoms and protected our way of life.

They shall not old, as we that are left grow old.

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, we will remember them. 


NOVEMBER 7 2022

Bonfire Night!

We enjoyed Bonfire Night with a bit of sparkle and a buffet


OCTOBER 30 2022

Halloween Craft

Halloween Craft 

  


OCTOBER 24 2022

Congratulations

Congratulations to our lovely Abi on completing her level 2 certificate in the Safe Handaling of Medication.


OCTOBER 24 2022

Congratulations

Congratulations to Abi on achieving her Level 2 Certificate in Understanding the Safe Handling of Medication in Health and Social Care. 


OCTOBER 19 2022

October

Some of what we have been up to this month,

Getting the bulbs planted and pots re-potted in our gardening club.

Miniature Scarecrow competition- there were some fab entries.

Halloween craft ready for decorating the homes and preparing for our Halloween party next week.

Out and about with trips to the Physic Garden & Rogate Pumkin Patch

We also had our first monthly meet at Winton House Centre

  


AUGUST 5 2022

Congratulation Chef Andy

Congratulations to chef Andy for earning employee of the month with Signature Dining.

Andy is a fantastic chef and a valued member of the South Downs Care Family, well done Andy


JULY 27 2022

Congratulations Sophie

Meet Sophie

Sophie had known she wanted to work in the health care profession since the end of primary school. She was inspired by her Mother who worked as a Senior Nurse/Manager and Father who also worked as both a general nurse and a psychiatric nurse.

“Listening to them talk about their Nursing careers left me fascinated”

Sophie was first introduced to hands on caring during her teens when she stayed with her grandmother. Although her Gran was independent there were still some tasks she couldn’t manage, and Sophie naturally stepped in to help.

Sophie attended The Petersfield School where she gained the grades needed to enroll on the BTEC level 3 in Health & Social Care at Alton College. This gave her the basic knowledge and understanding of being a care assistant but no hands-on experience. Sophie was 18 years old when she started working for South Downs Care, she made quite an impact. Sophie quickly fell into her role with a natural ability to care and became one of our most appreciated care assistants by staff and residents alike.

“South Downs Care gave me a chance to grow, I was supported by an amazing team and I love the experience of supporting the elderly and making them smile’

After a year working in care Sophie went on to apply for a university placement to study Nursing. Armed with her inspiration, passion, GCSE grades, BTEC and care experience Sophie was accepted into Kings College University in London in February 2019. Sophies passion for helping others saw her return to South Downs Care to fill in on the odd shift during the breaks in her studies. 

Now after 2300+ hours of placement over the past three years, she has finally finished her nursing degree at St Thomas’ Hospital which is where her mum qualified 42 years ago! She is now looking forward to starting as a Cardiology nurse in September.

Congratulations Sophie, we have had the pleasure of watching you grow into a remarkable young woman and we are all so proud of you. Although we are going to miss her bubbly personality, we wish you all the best and know that you will be a great addition to any nursing team. 


JUNE 10 2022

Planting a Tree for the Queens Jubilee

Today residents at both homes planted a tree for the Queens canopy. The trees are planted in the grounds of the homes and are marked with a plaque commemorating the Queens Platinum Jubilee. 


JUNE 4 2022

The Queens Platinum Jubilee

South Downs Care Jubilee Celebrations 

Congratulations to Her Royal Highness the Queen on 70 magnificent years. Thank you for your life of service and devotion to our great country and the Commonwealth.

We have celebrated with 4 full days of events, what a weekend! from a garden party, Jubilee lunch and afternoon tea fit for the Queen to a harp concert, dancing with Mike and a singalong with Eliza. We have pulled out all the stops to celebrate and it was lovely to see some familiar faces too. 

        

  


DECEMBER 19 2021

Christmas volunteer from the North Pole


NOVEMBER 30 2021

Fur & Feathers


JULY 23 2021

Fun in the Sun

Fun in the Sun

Music, Dancing and Ice cream what more do you want form a bright and beautiful week. 


MARCH 19 2021

Finally Spring is upon us- nearly!

As we are heading it a new season we are hopeful of a better Spring than the previous one. 

We as always at this time of year have been preparing for the Petersfield in Bloom competition, being 3-time consecutive winners, we have a lot to live up to. We are not certain what this year's categories will be but can guess that they will include some familiar ones. Wait to see what our unusual container will be this year; it will take a lot to beat the old BBQ & Commode from previous years!!

We started planting tomatoes, potatoes and sunflowers and we are looking forward to some warmer weather so we can get out in the garden more and start our hanging baskets. 

We have also tried out hand at some homemade bird feeders!


MARCH 14 2021

Mothers Day 2021

What a delightful sight, all the love piling through the door in the form of Mother's Day cards.  Smiles and laughter filled the homes, reading the lovely messages shared from family. 

We celebrated with a special Mother's Day Lunch and shared motherhood memories. Motherhood is a lot different now than it was 50 or 60 years ago. The difference between now and then is not just the introduction of new ideas, new equipment and new environments, a woman's role within the home has changed dramatically. We discussed this reminiscing over the good old days, appreciating present days and anticipating the days yet to come. 

Our quote of the day is;

A Mother is she who can take the place of all others, but whose place no one else can take.


FEBRUARY 14 2021

Spreading the love

Spreading the love on Valentine's day with a tiple or two!!

We spent the lead up to valentine's day making decorations, sharing stories of those we love and making biscuits, although the one in the picture was made by our amazing chef.

Did you know valentine's day origins trace as far back as the 6th century B.C. Started by Christians as an effort to replace the pagan fertility festival Lupercalia. 

Also, every year Verona, Italy receives thousands of love letters addressed to Juliet. Letters re answered by the volunteers of the Juliet Club. The most touching letter is awarded "Cara Giulietta"prize. 


JANUARY 8 2021

We are Vaccinated!

We are proud to announce that both home have now received their 1st vaccines.

We were grateful to have been chosen as the fist home to be vaccinated in the area, Downs House received the initial injection of the Pfizer-Bionteck vaccine on 30th December 2020. Stroud House followed suite this today. 

We would like to tank Swan Medical Group and Grange Surgery for delivering such an excellent service to both homes. 

This year has been a very challenging time for everyone involved in care, the mile stone marks a very big step into ensuring we can continue to keep our homes safe while allowing visitors in.


DECEMBER 23 2020

It's Christmas

Christmas has been very different for us this year. Despite the absence of friends and family we have still managed to have a magical time. 

Covid did not stop the party, the show did go on.....

We continued with a Christmas singalong, not sure our voices matched that of the Salvation Army and there were no instruments in sight, nether the less we had a jolly good sing of all our favourites. 

Our Christmas party proceeded, a lovely buffet followed by A Christmas quiz, dancing and a tipple. Although we did miss the panto! Residents rehearsed for their own production of The Sound of Music which produced some very funny voices and a lot of laughter. 

We supported the Alzheimer's Society with Elf day, staff dressed in their best elf/ Christmas outfits, followed by an elf party, quiz afternoon and a snow ball fight between residents and staff!!

We have been baking all the delights of Christmas, making decorations and sending cards and wishes to friends and family.

From everyone at South Downs Care we hope you all have a Very Merry Safe Christmas.


NOVEMBER 26 2020

Compliment for Stroud from Patient Transport

We received a lovely compliment from a member of the Patient Ambulance Crew. It was so nice of the lady to take the time to contact us, a compliment goes a long way. 

"I work for Medisec who provide a patient transport service. Myself and my crew mate dropped a patient to Stroud House location last night.

I wanted to let you know how amazing the two ladies were that greeted us. The patient was very frightened, and I had a challenge to keep her calm during the journey. As soon as she saw your employees, her face lit up and she was so pleased to be back in their care. One of the ladies made a comment on how the patents teeth will need a clean, I thought that was really reassuring that the patient is in a caring and safe place. 

The whole experience made me smile to see such wonderful hard workers and I'd really like the credit to be passed on to them."

The team at Stroud were very greatful for the compliment. Thanks Jenny. 


NOVEMBER 5 2020

Remember, Remember the 5th of November

Remember, Remember the 5th of November, The gunpowder treason and plot. I know of no reason why the gunpowder treason ,should ever be forgot!

The words we all know so well! The poem written to remind us of the plot to blow up the house of lords in 1605. 

We wont remember the events of the day leading to our yearly celebrations, but we will have the memories of our own celebrations. A bonfire, festival, family gathering and of course the bang, wizz, pop of a firework or two. 

As usual we had a small fireworks display in both our homes, which is always popular with residents and staff, sadly this year no visitors. 

There is many a tall tail that comes with yearly events such as this. The feelings, sounds, smells invoke memories as we reminisce of times gone by.

Some stories from this year, a memory of a father baking potatoes in the bonfire, some ended a little black. A dog that was really frightened of the loud bangs, they would sit and cuddle to feel safe. The muddy boots in the kitchen from the husband who set of the fireworks. Even the big fireworks display a family member was involved with organising. 

This years memory for us will be the bright colours of the fireworks through the safety of the window shared with friends and a cup of coco. 


OCTOBER 30 2020

Covid Secure Visiting Space

We are proud to announce the opening of our new covid secure visiting areas in both of our homes. 

Managing Director Paul Rogers commented "It had been a very difficult decision to restrict visiting for friends and families, family contact is incredibly important for everyone's wellbeing". To enable visits to continue during the winter weather we have created a safe, comfortable inside space to safely facilitate visiting. Now up to two family members will be able to book the space for regular visiting. 


OCTOBER 22 2020

Halloween Competition

We really like seeing all the Halloween costumes but because this year will be different, we thought we would run a competition for the local children. We had fun making a short video which you can see on our Facebook page - click here

To enter send us your scariest Halloween costume picture to info@southdownscare.co.uk or to our messenger on our Facebook page

This competition is for children aged between 1-16 

you must have your parent's permission to enter - entry's should be sent in by parent's

When sending your entry please provide your name, age and a contact number and give your permission for us to include your photo on our Facebook page.

We have prizes for 1st 2nd and 3rd (skeleton not included)

our residents will choose their favourite pictures on Friday 30th October.

Happy snapping & good luck 


OCTOBER 15 2020

Food Glorious Food

Huge congratulations to Signature Dinning on winning this year's Care Caterer of the year Award at this years Public Catering Awards 2020. Particularly our kitchen team at South Downs Care: Our chefs - Lawrence, Lee, Will and Elaine. Our kitchen assistance - June, Emma, Lydia, Justine, Merlin, Beth, Ricky, Harriet and Connor. 

Signature have been running our kitchens since 2017 and our teams do a fantastic job producing delicious home cooked food, meeting the many dietary needs of our residents and go out of their way to make them-selves available to residents to discuss their preferences, their cakes are pretty good too!!!

Well Done Team


OCTOBER 6 2020

Baby reveal

Congratulations to one of our lovely staff Amy who is expecting her second child. It's always exciting when one of our staff is expecting a baby, there is lots to talk about. We are one big family at South Downs Care and true to form our staff are keen to find ways they can include residents in the different things that are happening outside the home. Amy had already had a baby reveal at the weekend but wanted to include the residents and her team in the excitement, so she did it again just for us!!! There was a lot of guessing, a round bump means its a girl, an oval bump its a boy, high bump, low bump is mum blushed... all signs to what she might be having........finally she opened the box to reveal...........a big pink balloon - its a girl. Congratulations Amy and family


SEPTEMBER 23 2020

Harvest Festival

This year we held our first in house Harvest Festival. Many of us will remember bringing food items to school or church during Harvest festive, these items would then be shared with organisations like a food bank who would deliver to those in need. The Harvest festival is a time to be thankful for what we have and to share with those who are less fortunate. 

The tradition of celebrating the Harvest festival originated in churches in 1843. Reverend Robert Hawker invited parishioners to a special thanksgiving service for the harvest at his church at Morwenstow in Cornwall. To find out more click here 

In the UK the harvest festival, also known as the harvest home is usually celebrated during the full moon that occurs closest to the autumn equinox which is often during late September early October. The harvest moon as it is sometimes known, can be seen glowing orange during this time. 

For our Harvest festival our staff and our homes accumulated collected food items that we delivered to our local food bank at the Methodist Church in Petersfield. We enjoyed an afternoon of country music and dancing. 


AUGUST 26 2020

The benefits of craft

Our craft table was in full swing this afternoon. Craft is a popular activity and has many benefits aside from promoting mindfulness and wellbeing. Craft is a good way of maintaining and improving dexterity, concentration, and coordination...... its also fun!!!


JULY 27 2020

Surprise

Downs House staff surprised their manager Amanda with a big thank you today. 

The team at Downs House organised the surprise for all her support during the pandemic. She was showered with gifts of chocolate, wine, flowers, homemade cakes and other goodies.

Amanda said she didn't feel she alone deserved a thank you as it has been a team effort and everyone had done a brilliant job.


JUNE 27 2020

South Downs Care Picnic Festival

What better way to spend a summers day than sitting with friends enjoying a festival of singing, dancing, food and fun in the sun. We were joined by Miranda who put on a brilliant show in the gardens of both homes. 

This week is National Picnic Week- Picnicking is a Great British Tradition, prompting memories of blue skies, green grass, friends, family and delicious food, all shared on a lovely sunny day. 


JUNE 17 2020

A well deserved rest after 24 years service

Sad to say goodbye to our well loved friend and fellow carer Shelia. 

Shelia has taken care of us for 24 years!!! Now after that impressive commitment to our family at Stroud House she has decided it's time for retirement.

We will miss all the enlightening, friendly and helpful corridor converstaions that Shelia provided us with and her hard work making our jobs a little easier. 

We hope that she will return for a cuppa but maybe after some well deserved rest. 


JUNE 17 2020

Happy 105th!!! Birthday Dolly

On Thursday we celebrated the 105th birthday of our lovely Dolly. She is a warm, happy and lively memeber of our Stroud House family, its no suprise to us that she took on her role as the life and sole of the party ( especially after a sherry!!) 

We hosted a what has become know as a lockdown party for the lovely Dolly. We enjoyed an afternoon of Songs, Sherry and Sinatra and Dolly did it her way..


MARCH 30 2020

Wow what a TEAM!

We are incredibly proud and grateful for the amazing teams we have at Downs House & Stroud House. 

As we are facing the high possibility that so many of us will contract Covid-19 at some point during this pandemic, and with the stark warning from the government to stay home, protect the NHS and save lives. Our selfless staff are continuing to come to work, provide the high standard of care to the people who depend on them, putting themselves and their loved ones at risk. 

To say we are proud is an understatement to say we are grateful dosn't quite cut it. Wow what a team we are blessed to have.  

Thank you to every member of the South Downs Care Team YOU ARE AMAZING!


MARCH 13 2020

Coronavirus update

Given the rising number of cases of coronavirus in the country, we have put in place measures to safeguard the wellbeing of all our residents. As part of this, we have made the decision to temporarily stop non-essential visits to our homes with immediate effect. This is purely a precaution.

We are limiting visits overall, and visits from local community and external entertainment are cancelled for the foreseeable future.

Relatives and friends of residents will contiune to be welcome to our homes; however, we ask that these visits be significantly reduced. Visitors should continue to follow NHS advice on hygiene, particularly as coronavirus presents a greater risk to older people. Please do not visit the homes if you are showing any signs of the virus no matter how small or if you have been in contact with anyone showing signs of the virus. 

South Downs Care also wants to ensure vital medical visits are made and only allowing visitors who are not displaying symptoms enter and that they wash their hands on entering. We have not taken this decision lightly, and appreciate this may cause some discomfort, but feel that this is a necessary step to take.

If there is a situation that requires a non-routine visit, we would ask that you discuss this with the Manager of the home to ensure that the appropriate precautionary measures are taken to limit any potential risk. 

We would really appreciate your support with these measures, and please be reassured that we are closely following and complying with the Public Health authorities to ensure that we keep our residents safe and that our staff are supported to continue to deliver great care.

In the unfortunate situation that we do have a case in one of our homes, we will need to stop all visiting completely and will inform you accordingly.


FEBRUARY 14 2020

Love is in the air

We have been spreading the love this week with the build up to Cupid's day of the year.

We have been creative making decorations to share with loved ones. 

Our gardening Club has started up again, planting seeds and bulbs ready for our garden and this year's Petersfield in Bloom.

We have also put our dancing shoes on for an afternoon tea dance at Mercheston Hall.

It has been a busy one but hay you've got to spread the love. 


FEBRUARY 10 2020

Food Glorious Food

Some of this week's delights from our cooking club. Homemade Pizza raised the question, should you put pineapple on a pizza? The answer from us in YES.....

Our fresh fruit chocolate skewers look delicious, what better way to get your 5 a day than with some juicy fruit covered in chocolate. 


DECEMBER 24 2019

It's Christmas 2019

Its that time of year again, a very busy time for all, we are no different. The festivities have taken over at South Downs Care. 

The month was started with a visit from the Salvation Army, this is always a very popular event in both homes, the nostalgic feel and sound of old Christmas carols and spirituality accompanied by a mince pie and a glass of mulled wine. 

Our hands and minds have been busy with Christmas craft and decoration making. We were not alone we had some little hands to help, Stepping Stones Playgroup joined us to help. Glitter, glue, singing and a cuddle or two brought smiles and laughter to all. 

We have been tantalizing our taste buds, baking Christmas cakes and mince pies. We couldn't stop there we had to taste a glass of wine or two while sampling several cheeses.... and maybe some chocolate!!

Our feet are made for walking, and what else would you do at this time of year except take a trip to see Santa or in our case visit Keydell Nursery's Christmas woodland walk. 

It wouldn't be Christmas with out our annual Christmas party a chance for families and friends to celebrate together, to eat, dance and be merry. 

Take a look at our Facebook page to see more about what we have been up to over Christmas, one of our photos was extremely popular with over 1800 likes, take a look to find out which one.... Click here for a like to our facebook page

Merry Christmas and a Happy Healthy New Year from South Downs Care, see you in 2020.


NOVEMBER 15 2019

Hampshire Care Awards 2019

We are delighted that one of our staff have been nominated for a Hampshire Care Award. Katie Dey is our Head of House Keeping and has been nominated for the non-carer of the year award. The nomination is well deserved, Katie is an exceptional member of our team, she helps in all areas of the home and will go above an beyond for anyone often staying late to help others whether it is work related or not. Well done Katie we are incredibly proud of you.


NOVEMBER 7 2019

Career Event 1st

We were so pleased and excited to be invited to The Petersfield School Careers event. It was the first time we had ever promoted working in health and social care outside of our company. What a wonderful event, we spoke to many students some already studying Health and Social care and some who are aspiring to become the next generation of Doctors and Nurses. We received a very warm welcome from the TPS team and from other companies, with a chance for a little bit of networking....... one company we thought was very useful is the Wheels to work scheme run by Hampshire County Council, they provide an alternative method of accessing work for people in rural areas, click here to find out more.

Our favorite part by far was having the opportunity to talk about a career that is close to our hearts and to promote social care as a positive career option. The students were an inspiration to us, and we really enjoyed talking to them. Good luck year 11 for their upcoming GCSE's and Thank you to TPS for the opportunity. 


NOVEMBER 7 2019

Movember

In support of Movmeber our wonderful Team at South Downs Care have been happy snapping pics to spread awareness of men's mental health. Here are some of our photos to see more visit our Facebook page. 

Globally on average men die 6 years earlier than women, and for largely preventable reasons. Movember is shining a light on the health risks men need to know about, increasing awareness to stop men dying too young.

Tackling, prostate cancer, mental health and suicide prevention. To find out more visit Movember UK click her for a link to their page here.

   


OCTOBER 2 2019

Fun & Physical

With older age we resign ourselves to the fact that our bodies start to slow down and we are not as able as we use to be. In younger years exercise it is drilled into us, exercise is important to be fit and healthy, which is true. There are many things we can do to stay fit and healthy when we are young, sports, dancing and long walks, to name a few....... When you are older the variety of fun things to do shrinks and exercise becomes more of a chore than usual. But....with a little thought we have expanded the pool of fun things to do to exercise, one of them being basket tennis with balloons!

There was a lot of moving and laughter this afternoon when Kim joined us for basket tennis.... This as you can see is a very popular activity, just one of the many we provide. 

Physical exercise in older people has at least 7 benefits:

1, Confidence 

2, Independence 

3, Co-ordination 

4, Better bone density 

5, Reduces the risk of falls

6, Reduces the risk of serious health conditions such as a heart attack or a stroke 

7, Improves wellbeing  

equaling a longer, more able happier life.


SEPTEMBER 15 2019

Career pathway progress & success

Our Career pathway is something we are incredibly proud of, and this month we have double success. Two of our managers who have progressed through our career pathway have achieved high level diplomas. 

Amanda Murray who started at South Downs Care as a general assistant 7 years ago, has worked her way through the career levels and is now the Registered Manager of Downs House.

Latasha Jarrett who started with South Downs care 11 years ago in 2008 as a care assistant has worked her way through our career pathway and is now the General Manager. 

Both have proven to be exceptional managers with an excellent reputation both inside the company and out. Their hard work and dedication was rewarded with Latasha achieved her level 5 diploma in leadership & management and, Amanda achieved her level 7 in strategic management. 

This is a well-deserved achievement showing passion and commitment to the people within our care and to our company. 


AUGUST 15 2019

Step onboard

This month we took a trip to Portsmouth, where we took a voyage on the Portsmouth Harbour Tour Cruises. We stepped onboard at Gunwhalf, the crew where exceptionally helpful at assisting us on and off the boat.

The tour took us around Portsmouth Harbour and the Naval dockyard, where we were able to see the many ships that were docked. The most notable was the magnificent new aircraft "The Queen Elizabeth", which is one of two aircraft carriers in our Royal Navy. HMS Queen Elizabeth was named on 4th July 2014 in honour of Elizabeth 1, she was commissioned into our Royal Navy on 7th December 2017. The vessel is approximately 65,000 tones, 280 meters long, making her the largest warship ever constructed for the Royal Navy, costing a whooping £6.2 billion. 

The tour lasted around 45 minutes, taking us past many of the Royal Navy ships in dock and the oldest naval ship still in commission HMS Victory. HMS Victory has been sitting in dry docks in Portsmouth since 1922, she is currently undergoing a £35 million conservation project, which is set to span over 13 years.

We really enjoyed our trip, some chips and a gin really finished off the day before returning to Petersfield.


JULY 19 2019

Blooming Brilliant

Following in the footsteps of last year's success, our gardening club hit a triple this year, in the 2019 Petersfield Town Council Petersfield in Bloom Competition. We entered 3 categories, residential flower beds, hanging baskets and unusual container. Our gardening committee have been busy over the last few months creating a beautiful display of flowers, fruits and vegetables.

After planning the display's, we took a shopping trip to Hiller Garden Centre in Liss and B&Q in Havant where we purchased a variety of plants, and a garden gnome or two!

Once our baskets and flower beds had been arranged, we spent many days over the last few months weeding, deadheading and watering the garden. This was a big commitment from some of our residents as the watering became a daily task as the weather heated up!

Their efforts paid off with some silverware, we won second place for both our containers and baskets.

This year we also took on the challenge of the unusual container. This provided endless opportunities for activities. We started our project with some rummaging at the back of our loft. We uncovered an old style commode looking a little worse for wear. A brainstorming session saw the old commode gain a new lease of life. After a wash down, a new paint job and a little bit of love and creativity our Smells like Roses container was born, winning us a well-deserved Gold. Please take a look at some of our pictures, more pictures are avaliable on our Facebook page @southdownscare.

 

 

 


JUNE 30 2019

A cold treat on a hot day!

Residents, staff and visitors were treated to something refreshing when Gilico Ice Cream Van popped round to both homes. Its been extremely lately in Hampshire and we  welcomed a cold treat from the man in the van. 


JUNE 13 2019

Scooting through the Years

An amazing birthday surprise for a wonderful lady organised by 2 exceptional staff.

Knowing Shirley's love for scooters Ashleigh & Devon organised a scooter rally for her birthday. They arranged a birthday dink for Shirley at the Seven Stars Pub in Stroud, near Petersfield. While she was there, she was treated to a drive by of 16 scooters. The drivers then stopped for a chat; Shirley told them about when she use to ride her Lambretta!

She had a lovely evening talking to the drivers while inspecting their wheels, they even bought her flowers and a box of chocolates for her birthday. 


MAY 30 2019

Tea and cake for Petersfield Fire Crew

Wow what a day, a huge thank you to Petersfield Fire Station, Hampshire Fire and Rescue Services for visiting us today. 

The firefighters of Petersfield Fire Station provide an invaluable service to Petersfield and the surrounding areas. One major incident attended by Petersfield Fire station was the Fire at Uppark in 1989. The blaze was attended by 27 fire engines and 156 Fire fighters.

We were very privileged to be visited by some of our local heroes. The fire crew arrived in their fire engine which residents were able to inspect. After giving a very informative talk and demonstration of the equipment on board, some more able residents were able to jump on board for a better look around!

Following good inspection of the vehicle the crew gave a fire safety talk in the lounge. The manager was commandeered and dressed into the fire safety uniform and challenged to a few star jumps while wearing the heavy load!!


DECEMBER 17 2018

Elf Day 2018

We teamed up with the Alzheimer's Society for this year's Elf Day campaign. We included this as part of our homes annual Christmas party. Our parties are always extremely popular with residents, families and staff alike. The Alzheimer's Society named December the 7th as Elf day, however ours was on 17th December. Families were welcomed to join us for the day to enjoy some Christmas fun with a Jack and the Bean stalk Panto and some delicious home cooked food. Our staff join in the festivities dressing as Elf's or in Christmas attire. 

We raised £255.20 for the Alzheimer's Society, to find out more about Elf day and how the money could be used click here

This year we even had some of Santa's little helpers join us for 25 days. Elf on the shelf was present at South Downs Care, we also heard about all the mischief  his friends had been causing around Petersfield. They were swinging on the decorations at Stroud House and sliding down the banister at Downs House! Take a look at our Elf on the Shelf photos on our Facebook page here

 


OCTOBER 31 2018

Spooky things going on.....

What a spooky month we had in October. It seemed Petersfield had been taken over by the mystical creatures of Halloween. We took a drive around to see when ghastly goings on had been happening in the gardens of our neighbourhood. On our journey we were discussing how Halloween has grown in popularity over the years. The vast amount of decorations and pumpkins were tribute to how popular the holiday has become. Some residents said they never really celebrated Halloween before and seen it only as something for children to do.

Our pumpkins were carved with some spooky designs, my personal favourite was the one with the wonky eyes. While working on our designs we looked at the origin of pumpkin carving. Many thought it was introduced by America, however we found the actual origin was much closer to home. Pumpkin carving was introduced to America from Ireland. It was an ancient Celtic tradition to carve Jack O'Lantern's and place an ember in them on all hallows eve to ward off evil spirits. As there were no pumpkins in Ireland at this time the lanterns were carved out of turnips and other root vegetables. We also found a tale about a man called Stingy Jack which tells the story of a man who played a trick on the devil that spectacularly back fired on him leading to the birth of the Jack O'Lanterns. you can find out more about Stingy Jack here.

We were all impressed at the effort put in by our staff at our Halloween party, we even had some fun with some loo roll. Take a look at some of our photos. 


OCTOBER 11 2018

Stroud visit the Zoo

After some residents had been talking about wild animals, Stroud House decided to take a step outside of Petersfield and visit Marwell Zoo in Winchester. There was quite a bit to see and do and a lot of walking for our lovely staff, who enjoyed the visit as much as the residents.

     

The Penguins where popular, it was interesting to see them swimming under water and watching them dive from the edge. A couple of residents were surprised by the great stature of the Giraffes, they spent quite a bit of time admiring them.

After stopping for a well-deserved coffee by Tigers they continued round stopping for photo opportunities and even staging some of their own, see the Shark attack!

At South Downs Care we are always looking for new and interesting places to visit, we will definitely visit Marwell again. 


OCTOBER 5 2018

Bloomin brilliant

Our green fingered gardening club have done it again! After a successful entry in to the Petersfield Town Council competition earlier this year, they didn't think they could top their success. In the earlier competition they combined their wealth of knowledge to create some stunning flower beds and hanging baskets. The judges of the Petersfield in Bloom competition were impressed with the array of flowers and the display of vibrant colours. They awarded Downs House 1st prize in the category for Petersfield Care Home / Nursing Home. Our team of gardeners planned, planted and maintained the flower beds and baskets throughout the summer. Some beds even included some delicious fruits and vegetables, which were harvested and delivered to the kitchen. 

With the bug for gardening growing in interest and the taste for a victory our competitive group wanted more. They continued their success after entering the commemorative category, which took place yesterday at The Festival Hall. They had to decide between making a commemorative flower display for woman's suffrage or WW1. After much discussion they decided upon Woman's Suffrage. 

The competition itself, introduced more activities to our already large and varied list. The activities involved many residents, not just the members of the gardening club. Activities included meetings to discuss ideas and decide on design, what materials were to be used and to make some rough plans to achieve the desired look. The group chose to have two female heads to represent two ladies who had a significant influence in the Woman's Suffrage movement, the founder Emmeline Pankhurst and executive member Christabel Pankhurst. The heads would be wearing hats decorated in flowers in the colours that represented Suffragettes, purple, white and green. They didn't stop there! We had some old news articles from the period that we used to research the Suffragettes, the group included some of the text from the old news articles to cover the heads. The day before the competition our gardening club set upon creating the most amazing, beautiful flower display. The display was outstanding, and the group were again recognised for their efforts as they won the well-deserved 1st prize. Which some of them were delighted to collect in person last night at the awards ceremony.

  

The competition has given us the opportunity to work with organisations in our community and created several meaningful activities for people in our care. We have really enjoyed taking part and are already looking forward to next year.  

 

Finally a huge thank you to Petersfield Town Council for a blommin brilliant competition and a lovely evening. 


SEPTEMBER 11 2018

Fruits of our labour

Our Petersfield in Bloom award winning gardening club at Downs House pulled their carrots out today. They were delighted with how well they had grown. 


JULY 19 2018

Tea for Two


JULY 16 2018

Winners of Petersfield in Bloom

Congratulations Downs House Gardening Club 


JULY 7 2018

Potato Harvest


JUNE 13 2018

Grow your Own

Thats what we are doing - our gardening club are growing all sorts Potatoes, Strawberries, Runner Beans and Herbs to name a few. This is our first little green tomato. 


JUNE 6 2018

Petersfield Heath

We enjoyed a lovely afternoon at the Heath Pond 


JUNE 1 2018

Slithers & Wriggles

Slithers & Wriggles popped in with some friends and not the fury kind!


MAY 23 2018

A breath taking view at the Spinnaker Tower


MAY 19 2018

Celebrating the Royal Wedding in Style!

We had a lovely day celebrating the Royal Wedding. The ceremony was wonderful, the homes were at a stand still, everyone glued to the screen as the happy couple took their vowles. Residents & staff celebrated wearing home made fascinators & holding flags, this was followed by a delightful lunch  and a traditinal cream tea.

   

 


MAY 14 2018

There's something in the water!

There's something in the water at Downs House! Today we say goodbye to another member of our amazing care team. The lovely Amy is the third carer to take a break this year to become a Mummy. We celabrated her last day with some goodies and a vist from our friends at Pony Pals

                           


MAY 8 2018

Today's Dessert yum!

Freshly made by our wounderful Chef Lawrence. 


APRIL 19 2018

I'll have a D for Donkey please!


APRIL 2 2018

Ellie

Today we said goodbye to Ellie one of lovely night staff, shes not leaving us just taking some time to have a baby. 

   


APRIL 1 2018

Happy Easter

Happy Easter from everyone at South Downs Care 


MARCH 19 2018

We are having a crafty time!

Take a look at what we have been upto 

 

 


MARCH 9 2018

Pampered


MARCH 9 2018

Josie

Today we said goodbye to Josie one of our lovely carers. Shes not leaving us just taking a break to have a baby. Josie is an amazing carer and she is going to be an amazing Mum.  


FEBRUARY 28 2018

Alpaca's Visit

Dunreyth Alpacas vist South Downs Care 

 


FEBRUARY 2 2018

Drumming

The sound of drums was echoing throughout Downs House today during an African Drumming lesson with Kim. 


JANUARY 15 2018

Basket Ball

Shooting some hoops with a game of Innie Outie 


JANUARY 9 2018

Cupa

Cupa anyone


DECEMBER 25 2017

Santa Claus Came to Town


DECEMBER 17 2017

Dec the Halls!

We had a festive time on the run up to Christmas making decorations. 

 


NOVEMBER 14 2017

Quick step

Residents and Staff at Stroud House enjoy a dance 


NOVEMBER 6 2017

Happy Halloween


OCTOBER 31 2017

Happy Halloween

Residents and staff had a spooky time carving pumpkins for Halloween. 


OCTOBER 27 2017

Meow

We were lucky enough to have a pro with us this Halloween.

Christine worked as a make-up artist for a dramatic society, helping the actors and actresses mutate into character with a  bit of imagination and a flick of her brush. 

Christine explained with great enthusiasm how she really enjoyed this part of her life. One show she was particularly fond of was "CATS". 

On hearing this our manager Amanda jumped at the chance to be transformed. 

The transformation took place in the lounge where many residents and staff witnessed Amanda take the form of a feline. 

The atmosphere was magical as Christine got to work with the creams and powders of her trade. 

Residents and staff looked on with anticipation and they were not disappointed with the result. 


OCTOBER 6 2017

Summer Party Puppet Show

After a delicious lunch we were delighted to welcome Carousel Theatre Productions back to our homes today. They put on a very funny puppet show which was enjoyed by all.  

        


SEPTEMBER 9 2017

Summer BBQ

" What a terrific party you all laid on for the residents and their families today. It was a really happy event and great to see everyone enjoying themselves. The food was excellent and so was the very professional entertainment enjoyed by every generation!"

" I just wanted to say how much we enjoyed Saturdays summer party. It was lovely to be able to sit out on the new patio in the sun, eating a delicious barbeque lunch with a glass of wine- it felt like a very happy and relaxed occasion."

           


AUGUST 24 2017

Afternoon Tea

Something sweet for afternoon tea.


AUGUST 11 2017

Donkey Love

Donkey Cuddles will always brighten the day and bring a smile.  


AUGUST 10 2017

Bird World

We had a quacking time at Bird World this month

 


JULY 26 2017

Dementia friendly Petersfield

We are delighted to be a part of Dementia friendly Petersfield. Dementia Friends is building the knowledge of our community to help support people living with Dementia. The Alzheimer's Society is spreading 5 key messages -

1- Dementia is not a natural part of aging.

2-Dementia is caused by diseases of the brain.

3- Dementia is not just about losing your memory-it can affect thinking, communication and doing everyday tasks. 

4- It's possible to live well with Dementia.

5- There's more to a person than the dementia. 

click here to find out more about Dementia Friendly Petersfiled or for information, support and advice about Dementia call the National Dementia Helpline on 0300 222 1122.

You can find local services at alzheimers.org.uk/dementiaconnect  

Vist dementiafriends.org.uk 


MAY 9 2017

100th Birthday Celebrations

There was lots to celebrate at Downs House this week, 100 years in fact. The lovely Win celebrated in style with family and friends, Rockin & Rollin with an Elvis Presley tribute act.  

Our Friends at Pony Pals also popped in to visit. Win was delighted that Mr Kipling & Caroline wanted to say Happy Birthday. 


APRIL 5 2017

Stepping Stones Vist for Easter

Stepping Sones Nursery Vist

Stepping Stones Vist for Easter

Stepping Stones Visit for Easter

It was "Eggsellent" to see the children from Stepping Stones Nursery today. Robbie the Magician made us all laugh with his magic show and the residents helped the children on an Easter egg hunt.


FEBRUARY 14 2017

Valentines Day

Valentines Day 2017

Happy Valantines Day 


JANUARY 28 2017

Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year

Cock-a-doodle-doo!2017 is the year of the Rooster. 

We celebrated this week with themed activites including arts and crafts ( see one of our dragons made by some of our residents), chiniese music and movment and readings of Chinese stories and legends to name a few. We finished the week with a Chinese dinner party.  


DECEMBER 30 2016

Charity Christmas Raffle

Well done to all the residents and staff, we raised £165 for Cancer Research UK with our Christmas raffle.  


DECEMBER 6 2016

Christmas Panto - oh no its not!

Dick whittington

Residents at Downs House had a fabulous afternoon recently enjoying a Christmas Panto. Partytime Productions delivered a delightful show of the traditional 'Dick Whittington' story. Much fun was had and everyone said what a lovely time they'd enjoyed. The event has really kicked off the festive season for us all, roll on the next panto afternoon next week which will be 'Let it Snow', again by Partytime Productions. Ho Ho Ho!


JUNE 30 2016

Pony Pals

Click here to see Pony Pals visit 


MAY 19 2016

Building the future - construction at Downs House

Building the future

The last year has been an exciting one that has largely been focussed on the planning and construction of the new wing at Downs House. This is a fantastic addition to the main house and has been a wonderful opportunity to improve the excellent facilities we already offer to our residents. The building has been designed with our residents needs at the forefront of our minds, ensuring that we continue to offer the highest possible standard of care and maintaining compliance with the Quality Care Commission (CQC).

The new facilities, which are due for completion in Summer 2016, include:

  • 12 new bedrooms, over two floors, all with ensuite wetrooms. Many of the ground floor rooms open out on to new patio areas.
  • A beautiful new dining room and coffee shop for residents and guests to enjoy.
  • New commercial grade kitchen and office administration space.
  • An inspiring new terrace and woodland walk. The garden has been designed to be fully accessible to all residents including wheelchair users, including raised, accessible flower beds to encourage them to take part in outdoor activities.


The biggest challenge has been to carry out the building work with minimal disruption to our residents and we hope that we have managed to achieve this as much as possible. 

We are planning on holding a garden party to celebrate and officially open the new wing, we are hopeful that we may also have a local celebrity come along to do the honours too so watch this space!


APRIL 29 2016

Digital dynamism!

South Downs Care New Responsive Website

We are delighted to announce the launch of our brand new website.

At South Downs Care we are continually striving to ensure that we provide the most up to date and best possible service and care for our residents and their families. This commitment to ongoing improvement drives our planned long term programme of development which, to date, has been rolled out across many areas of our operation including the development of our new website and the construction of the new wing at Downs House.

The new expanded website has been designed to be as accessible, easy to use, attractive and informative as possible for all users. The site includes more information about our homes, our ethos and what we offer and we have endeavoured to offer answers to as many questions as we can.

However, we always value feedback so if you have any comment about the site or would like to see additional information added, perhaps in the form of extra FAQs please do let us know. You can contact us using the contact form on the website or by emailing us here.

We very much hope you like the site and enjoy using it, happy surfing!

© Western Health Care Limited 2015     Privacy Policy