Remembrance Sunday

Posted on 28 December 2023 by Nicky Macfarlane

November is always a month for reflection at the Estate with Remembrance Sunday an important date in our calendar. The team have once again outdone themselves with the poppy display, which Kevin captured so well in his night time pictures.

Lest we forget

We honoured those who lost their lives in the line of duty this month, with displays of poppies around the grounds and the sales of knitted poppies, kindly made by Sarah.

A regular visitor to the Estate is Kevin Jacot, who took these stunning photos of our poppy display one evening, after a late afternoon singing rendition for the residents.

Using his car headlights, he has captured a poignant view of the fountain and sunset. Kevin has played and sang songs for us for many years and is lovingly enjoyed by all.

Creating wonder through shared experiences

Posted on 18 August 2023 by Nicky Macfarlane

We are excited to be partnering with a new local childcare provider called Willow & Rose Nursery based in Grayshott.

Exploration education

Dedicated to caring for children up to 4 years old, Amanda and the team believe in supporting children to develop curiosity through the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework.

At the centre of their approach is creating opportunities to explore, question and discover nature as part of exploration educational learning. Our collaboration gives Willow and Rose access to our beautiful estate, as their very own vibrant learning space filled with the best nature has to offer, whilst in a safe environment to explore and create wonder.

The partnership will include joint activities and events both in our homes and around the grounds, including an enchanted forest adventure, birdwatching, den building, storytelling session, nature craft sessions using treasures found around the forest floor and early learning about flora and fauna.

Find out more details here

Intergenerational experiences

Prior to the pandemic we shared how being part of our wider community we collaborated with a number of schools to bridge the generation gap.

Intergenerational interaction between the residents and children is a delight to see and most importantly the experience is beneficial for old and young, proving age is just a number!

Our collaboration with Willow and Rose, will in time offer residents on the estate a special opportunity to interact with the children during shared events and organically as they share our wonderful Estate enriching lives across the generations.

“The collaboration with Willow and Rose is a truly special partnership, as we share common values when it comes to caring for others. Our shared aim is to enabling individuals whatever their age to express themselves, be “free to be me” and find endless possibilities to experience meaningful moments each day.” Charlie Hoare MD.

For more information about Willow and Rose please visit their website: https://www.willowandrosenursery.co.uk/

Have you seen our Haslemere Hounds?

Posted on 16 April 2019 by Ricky

Supporting a local artwork project for charity

There are two rather large dogs on the Estate at this very moment… but don’t worry, as if you’re not too keen on canines, you’re perfectly safe with this pair as these two greyhounds are made from fibreglass!

Bordering Sussex, Surrey and Hampshire, Haslemere is a lovely market town, and one thing that makes us different is our annual animal artwork project. Have you heard of the Haslemere Hogs or the Haslemere Hares or the Haslemere Hounds?

Here at the Huntington & Langham Estate, we were delighted to be taking part in the 2019 round of this annual animal artwork project for charity. In case you’re unfamiliar with this project, it was in its third year and takes place in and around Haslemere.

Here’s an overview of how it started and what it’s all about.

Brian Howard MBE, former Mayor of Haslemere honoured by the Queen for services to the community, thought up the project to help local charities. The idea is to fundraise through the purchase, painting and display of various animal models. Back in 2017 in its inaugural year, we painted Hogs and the project raised £35,000 – last year, the Hares raised over £50,000! Can 2019 go bigger again? We certainly hope so.

The Huntington & Langham Estate has supported this project each year and this year, we have painted Lady Langham and Huntington Hound! People living and working here on the Estate worked together to come up with the themes and decorate the models – what do you think?

The Hounds are all being decorated now, ready to be displayed from May to September – they will then be auctioned off with the proceeds going to a variety of local charities, which is absolutely brilliant for the area.

Keep an eye out for them in Haslemere and the surrounding villages as you’ll be able to spot not only our two creations but many others!

Thank you to Brian for 35 years and counting of ‘selfless service’ to the town – we couldn’t be prouder of our care home in Haslemere being a part of this wonderful charitable project and hope to continue to participate for many years to come. Our only question is, what will the next animal be?

Bridging the Generation Gap

Posted on 14 February 2019 by Ricky

Here at the Huntington & Langham Estate, age really is just a number

Many people think that care homes are just for the older generation – but they couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, if you tried to work out the average age of people who walk through our doors, you’ll probably find that it’s around 30! Let us explain…

Here at the Huntington & Langham Estate, we’re here to provide expert care for those in need of a helping hand in our homes. But one other key thing that we focus on is community. That includes sponsoring local events, supporting local businesses and building great relationships with local schools.

Our links with local schools

That’s why you’ll quite often see local children laughing, learning and playing here in our homes, and we love seeing our residents thrive when spending time with the youngest generation. Our links with local schools bring so many benefits to the people who live here, and we believe this quality time is a key part of our residents being able to lead truly fulfilling lives. In our eyes, it’s something every care home should consider if they’re not already.

We are lucky enough to have great links with fabulous schools. The children come in every week and fill the home with much laughter, along with a unique energy, spirit and openness that’s so refreshing. They don’t see wheelchairs, they don’t see dementia and they don’t see age – they simply experience fun, connections, friendships and cake!

We have had a strong relationship with St. Edmund’s School in Hindhead for over 30 years and over the past 18 months or so, we have been lucky enough to host their reception classes here in our home. Every week in term time, the school’s reception pupils come along to learn, and our residents love having them here. The class alternates between our two homes, and the children usually spend time singing, chatting with our residents, reading books and getting stuck in with arts and crafts, and we also have all sorts of fun things like dressing-up boxes and games. The teachers bring in everything needed to hold each class here, but mostly, it’s about letting the children completely be themselves in the company of our residents.

This is what Karen Bailey, Head of Early Years at St. Edmund’s School, has to say about holding classes here in our home: “The relationship between the two generations is something truly special that just happens naturally. Our visits link young and old through play, giving us a greater understanding and appreciation of another generation that we may not otherwise have regular contact with. The children cannot wait to see their friends every week.”

More recently, we have welcomed the children from PK Preschool. They visit us once a month with their parents to sing, draw, read and play games. The interaction is a delight to see and most importantly, the experience is beneficial to both young and old.

help us to bridge the generation gap

If you are connected to a local school or nursery in the Grayshott area and would like to get involved, we’re always keen to build new relationships; we believe this quality time here in our home is just as beneficial for children as it is for the people who live here, so why not get in touch? There’s nothing quite like seeing these two generations come together and it really does show that age is just a number.

The Huntington & Langham Christmas Box Project

Posted on 15 November 2018 by Ricky

Here at the Huntington & Langham Estate, we’re taking part in this year’s Christmas Box Project to help those less fortunate than ourselves.

It’s a community project that has been set up to help elderly residents in our towns and villages who live alone, as they may not receive any other presents this Christmas, and a box of goodies from us will give them something nice to unwrap.

It’s a nice gesture to make sure everyone has something this Christmas. It’s also a wonderful project for those attending our day centre to focus on, and it has been great seeing them all work together to make, fill and wrap the many boxes we have put together.

Who’s involved in the project?

The readers of the local Messenger group of newspapers fill shoeboxes with lots of lovely Christmas-themed items, then the boxes are delivered across the area in conjunction with local Age Concern groups, church projects, Petersfield Salvation Army, local hospitals, nursing homes and to individual people in the community who we believe live alone.

It really is a fantastic project to help local people; now in its fourth year, it comes back bigger and better each time. Last year, with the help of readers and local businesses, over 1,000 boxes were gifted to the elderly residents of our town and beyond.

What’s in the H&L christmas boxes?

Inside each of the boxes we’ve been making, filling and wrapping here at the Huntington & Langham Estate, we have included a personal invitation to two free concerts being held right here in early 2019.

We have also included a handmade Christmas decoration in each box, together with some delicious edible items, such as biscuits and other sweet treats, crackers and custard, soup and steamed sponge puddings!

Hopefully our boxes will put smiles on the faces of those who receive them – and we really look forward to seeing each of them in the new year for our concerts.

If you would like to get involved in our day centre’s antics, please do get in touch by calling 01428 606 143 or by emailing us at langham@hlestate.co.uk