Classes help Ponteland nursing home residents to carry on learning

Company news

Mar 23, 2012

Residents at Care UK's Ponteland Manor are about to start a new range of classes thanks to members of the town's University of the Third Age (U3A).  U3A will be holding a range of events and activities at the Thornhill Road home throughout the spring, including art classes, practices for a choir and a recorder ensemble, as well as gardening club meetings.

Activities coordinator Annette Dodds said: “The classes are very popular with our residents. They all love listening to the music groups and many of them have happy memories of playing music or belonging to choirs in the area. Some of residents who join in with the art classes have painted and drawn throughout their lives and they love to be able to draw with other artists and learn new techniques from the teacher.

“People think that, when you leave your own home, you have to say goodbye to your hobbies and interests. At Ponteland Manor, we do everything we can to help people not only keep up their interests but to develop them too.”

Residents also attend activities at the local church. Annette said: “There is a pathway from our home to the church hall and visitors are wonderful at pushing wheelchairs or accompanying residents. The residents love it because not only do they get to carry out their favourite activities, they also get to have a chat and a catch-up about what is going on in town. Most of our residents have spent their lives in the Newcastle area and they really treasure being part of the community they love.”