Newsletter – July 2026
3rd August 2026
🌟 Ashdown Care Monthly Newsletter – November 2025 🌟
Welcome to this month’s round-up of achievements, outings and celebrations across our Ashdown homes. Thank you to everyone who continues to make every day meaningful for the people we support.
🏡 Eastbourne
Stuart and Michael enjoyed a thoughtful and uplifting day out with Esther and Sarah following Stuart’s recent visit home to celebrate his mam’s birthday 🎁. After an emotional few days, the outing was a lovely way to lift spirits and spend some quality time together🎉 .
Scarlet achieved a brilliant milestone by making a lasagne🥘 independently with support from Lindsey Hays.
Staff members Gemma and Sarah-Anne, along with service users Stuart and Michael, set off on a wonderful Christmas outing to York this week🚇 . The group enjoyed a scenic train journey into the historic city🏙️ , taking in the festive atmosphere from the moment they arrived. They spent time exploring York’s Christmas offerings, from browsing the seasonal market stalls to picking up a few special gifts🎁. A highlight of the day was a joyful ride on the traditional carousel, which brought big smiles and plenty of laughter. It was a fantastic day filled with fun, festive cheer, and great company—truly a memorable start to the holiday season🎉🎈!
🏠 10 Tynevale
Paul has been bursting with Christmas spirit this month! He took the lead in decorating the entire house, making sure every room felt warm and festive. His proudest moment was placing the tree topper himself ⭐— a perfect finishing touch to a beautifully decorated Christmas tree🎄.
He attended Terri-Anne’s leaving meal and chose a Hawaiian pizza 🍕– and insisted the whole staff team joined him!
🏡 Thurston
Erin and Paige kicked off the festive season in style with a fantastic trip to see the iconic Fenwick’s Christmas Window🎅. The display, famous for its enchanting storytelling and beautifully crafted scenes, did not disappoint. The pair took their time enjoying every detail of the magical window, soaking up the lights🔆, music🎶, and Christmas atmosphere🎉. Their visit marked a truly wonderful start to the season and left them both feeling full of festive cheer. A delightful outing to begin the countdown to Christmas💃!
🪴9 Tynevale
Colin enjoyed a brilliant day out at Sunderland’s National Glass Centre this month✨. He spent time exploring the striking glass sculptures and browsing the fascinating exhibits, taking in the skill and creativity behind each piece🍃. After a morning of discovery, he treated himself to a well-earned bacon sandwich and a warm coffee☕ in the café — the perfect way to round off his visit.
👻 Ravenscroft
Earlier in November, Bonfire Night was a warm and cosy success for Kim, Mark, and Michelle. With staff support from Margaret and Lilly, the group spent the evening roasting marshmallows🍭, sharing laughs, and enjoying the glow of the fire🔥. It was a relaxed and memorable celebration that everyone truly enjoyed🥳.
🚂Trip to Berwick
Kim and Deborah, accompanied by staff members Jade and Margaret from South Hill and Ravenscroft, enjoyed a fantastic weekend getaway in Berwick📷. The group made the most of their time away, starting with plenty of fun in the amusements🎈, where laughter and friendly competition set the tone for the trip. They took part in Halloween workshops🎃, explored the charming streets of Berwick town🌆, and soaked up the atmosphere of the evening entertainment. From creative activities to scenic strolls, there was always something to enjoy. The weekend also included some delicious meals🥐, with the group treating themselves to a hearty full English breakfast🥪 and dining out together — the
perfect way to unwind after busy days of activities.
It was a wonderful weekend filled with fun, friendship, and memory-making moments🎊.
Michelle – the queen of the fair had a brilliant festive outing to the Newcastle Christmas Market🎄. She loved exploring the stalls, soaking up the Christmas lights, and enjoying the lively atmosphere❄️. The highlight of her trip was meeting none other than the Grinch himself! Their playful encounter brought lots of laughs and made the day even more memorable🎇.
🏔️South Hill
Richard enjoyed a fantastic day at the Newcastle Art Gallery🖼️, where he spent time exploring a wide variety of artwork. From vibrant paintings🎨 to striking sculptures, he thoroughly enjoyed taking in the creativity on display and had a great time discovering new favourites🖌️.
Richard and Deborah also shared a lovely outing together, starting with a delicious meal at Big Luke’s🍔. Afterward, they headed into the Metro Centre to begin their Christmas shopping🛍️. With plenty of festive displays, gift ideas🎁, and seasonal treats, it was the perfect way to get into the holiday spirit🍫.
🏃 Cheshire
Murray has been fully embracing the festive season, enjoying lunches out🍜 and taking time to admire the beautiful Christmas decorations around him. A highlight of his celebrations was decorating his very own Christmas tree 🎄— with minimal support, he created a wonderfully festive display, marking a proud and well-deserved achievement🎊.
Gary is also getting into the Christmas spirit❄️, preparing for the season and joining in the festive fun. It’s wonderful to see both of them enjoying the holiday cheer😀 and making the most of this special time of year🪻
🌞Denmark Street
Ron and Ed had a delightful day out in Whitley Bay🌊 with Husain, enjoying the winter sunshine. The trip was packed with fun — sipping hot chocolates☕, trying their luck on 2p machines, winning small prizes🎁, and finishing off with classic fish & chips🍟. A perfect mix of relaxation and entertainment!
Baking day was a sweet success🍰! Margaret and Craig teamed up with Emma to create scones, a chocolate cake, and a white chocolate cheesecake🫓. Everyone enjoyed sharing the delicious results, making the session both fun and tasty🕺
Ron, Ed, and Ralph attended a festive bauble-making workshop at The Tynesider 🎉. They enjoyed mocktails, snacks🍬, and fully joined in with the group activity. Ralph summed it up perfectly: “Why not? It’s Christmas!”🎄 A joyful way to kickstart the festive season and get creative together. A month full of fun, creativity, and festive cheer🎇!
🕺St Mary’s
Henry marked his birthday season🥳 with a spectacular night out at Sunderland’s Fire Station, enjoying a lively ABBA tribute show🎵. The evening was filled with music, singing along to all the hits🎤, and plenty of joyful moments. It was a brilliant celebration, full of laughter, dancing, and festive cheer🎁 — a truly memorable way for Henry to celebrate his special time of year!
🌊Whitley
Brandon has been putting his teamwork skills to good use, helping staff set up his brand-new sofa🛋️. From unpacking to arranging it just right, he got involved every step of the way✨. It was a fantastic example of collaboration and practical problem-solving💪🏻, and the end result — a perfectly set-up sofa — was enjoyed by all. Great teamwork all round👏🏻!
🌟Compliments and Shoutouts🌟
🎁Denmark Street
During Margaret’s depo injection appointment, the nurse praised how happy, healthy and well-presented Margaret looked. She also complimented the strong, positive relationship Margaret has with her staff and noted how well she now manages with her hearing aids.
Margaret proudly told her about her lovely holiday to Skegness and how much she loves her home – wonderful feedback for the team.
🎇Ravenscroft
It was stated by a representative of Jayco Agency that Ravenscroft had a homely feel and it was a beautiful service and the service users seemed really happy.
🥳South Tyneside Award Ceremony
Although we didn’t take first place, being a finalist in such a prestigious national award is a huge achievement.
A message from Gary: “The thing I’m most proud of is seeing the people we support live lives filled with opportunity, fulfilment and happiness. None of this would be possible without our incredible staff. You show kindness, patience and empathy, even on the toughest days. I am proud to work alongside you every day. Thank you.”
💛Remembering Beccy – One Year On
On 28th November, we remembered the incredible Beccy – a cherished part of our Ashdown family. She brought joy, music, personality and determination into every room she entered. Whether ice skating, snow tubing, or dancing her way through the day, Beccy embraced life with heart and courage. Her unique way of communicating, her bond with her family and staff, and her unforgettable smile made her truly special. We miss her deeply, but today we remember her with love, pride, and gratitude for the joy she brought into our lives. It was a privilege to be part of her journey.
🎇 Gary’s Section
🎄Thought of the Month – November
“No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” – Aesop. As we move into the Christmas season, life gets busier, pressures rise, and it becomes easy to rush past moments that truly matter. That’s why this month we are encouraging Random Acts of Kindness — small, simple gestures that can make a huge difference to someone’s day. Whether it’s offering a hand, sharing a smile, or checking in on a colleague, kindness strengthens our workplace and our wider community. These acts align beautifully with our CARE values:
Commitment to Care (C): showing compassion not because we have to, but because it makes our world better.
Always Work as a Team (A): kindness builds connection and support.
Respect & Dignity (R): treating everyone with warmth, fairness and humanity.
Education & Reflection (E): noticing the positive impact kindness has — and choosing to do more of it.
As a company we will be donating a large sum to help you spread some Xmas cheer. This Christmas, let’s spread kindness freely. One small gesture from you might be the moment someone else remembers all season✨
✨Thank You
A huge thank you to every member of staff across Ashdown Care. Your compassion, creativity and dedication shape the lives of the people we support every day. Wishing you all a warm and joyful month ahead🩷
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Kind regards,
Ashdown Care
3rd August 2026
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