April Update
April Update from The Priory
STOP PRESS! Due to lack of drivers from Chippenham Transport, we have had to cancel our trip to The Red Lion – join us at The Priory for fish & chips instead – see below.
I think summer is over before Spring has even really started. After a lovely few days over Easter when the residents were able to enjoy the garden and the sun, it has all gone wet again. At least the cold hasn’t returned as well. I am sure you heard that after the driest February for 20 years, we had the wettest March for 40! Hopefully this means the hosepipe ban is on the back burner for a few months at least.
Before we talk about anything else, we have a new holder of The Priory’s Ten Pin Bowling Challenge Cup. A couple of weeks ago, our Spring Championship took place down at The Hollywood Bowl at Cribbs Causeway and Miriam Smith beat one of our previous winners, Margaret Boswell, by just one point! It was a tense affair, nip and tuck to the end and the best part of the game was that Tim, Miriam’s son, was there to see the victory. Well done to everyone who joined in – it’s a really different afternoon for us all.
As you will have seen at the top of this update, we have sadly had to postpone our outing for a pub lunch. We had decided to return to The Red Lion in Lacock as they have looked after us so well, but we have just been informed that Chippenham Transport do not have enough trained drivers for us to hire the disabled minibus that we need to get our residents there safely. This is a real shame for everyone. We will move this trip to June. We are waiting on Chippenham Transport to give us some dates that they are confident they can make and we will let you know as soon as we have their reply.
Instead, why not join us for a fish & chip lunch on Tuesday at The Priory instead? We don’t want to let anyone down, so Lynne and Helen have had a great idea of linking up with Langley’s Fish Bar just down the road from us to bring in some piping hot fish & chips instead. We will aim to serve at 12:30, so please arrive any time before that. We will expand the seating in the dining room and also use the seating in the new lounge so that families and friends can still join us. If you are going to visit, please do let Lynne know numbers by this Friday so that we can order on Monday and set up the seating as needed. Sorry for the inconvenience, but this will be just as much fun for everyone.
Then of course in May we have the Coronation. I wonder if anyone knows someone who has received an invitation? I think there are more than 850 of the general great and the good of the UK being invited, on top the royal family, foreign royals and heads of state from all over the world. Hopefully it will be a wonderful affair to watch. Our Coronation Buffet is taking place the day before on Friday 5th May. This way everyone will be able to watch and enjoy the whole event on the day.
We will run this at The Priory as a long table lunch in the glazed hallway, or if the weather permits, perhaps even outside. The residents love the idea of being served Pimms out of teapots. Obviously this will be a red, white and blue luncheon, so if families can help the residents with any accessories or appropriate colours, that would be wonderful.
We have two warm welcomes to make this month to Moreen Anderson and Vera Hillier who have both joined us in the last few weeks. We are sure you will have a lovely time with us all and hopefully, as the weather improves, we will be able to meet up with your family and friends as well – perhaps with the fish & chips next week? Once both Moreen and Vera arrived, we have found out that they are best friends as well! We have two further new residents joining us later in April, so we will welcome them properly in our next update.
Sadly, we also have had to say farewell to Frank Burkitt. Frank joined us in 2021 and for everyone at The Priory, it has been an honour to know and care for him. In the last few months Frank’s health had deteriorated and he passed away peacefully in March. Frank was a proper gentle man and we send our thoughts to David and his family.
In last month’s update we talked about the Spring Booster programme for all adults 75 and over and/or those in care homes – ideally 6 months from the date of the previous dose. This is being organised centrally and we now have a date for the morning of Wednesday 19th April from 0930. We have consent forms in place for many of our residents, but for those of you who have joined us in the last 6 months, Lynne will need these signed please. Of course, if anyone would like to opt out, please let us know as well. I know these boosters cannot stop us catching the infection, but they really do minimise the effects.
Other dates for your diary are Friday 21st April at 11:15 for our next resident meeting and Thursday 20th April at 10am for Holy Communion with Simon – next week is going to be very busy!
Take care everyone and in addition to a busy week, I am told it’s going to be warm and sunny – fingers crossed.