“Queen Jean” cuts the cake to celebrate our 12-year anniversary

The team and residents have been celebrating our home’s 12-year anniversary. We had a party complete with royal blue and gold balloons and a cake cut by our longest “reigning” resident “Queen Jean”.

The team and residents have been celebrating our home’s 12-year anniversary. We had a party complete with royal blue and gold balloons and a cake cut by our longest “reigning” resident “Queen Jean”.

Jean Underwood, 94, was at our official opening in 2013 and she has been a resident here at Bridge House Care Home for more than a decade. She led the celebrations at our home, which has 71 en-suite bedrooms and offers residential, nursing, specialist dementia care and palliative care.

During her time here Jean has enjoyed a ‘Make A Wish’ experience riding on the back of a Harley Davidson in 2017 and last year, our team arranged for the local operatic society to give a special performance for her in our home when she was unable to travel to a concert.

Jean made a heartfelt speech to our dedicated team and said, “Thank you all for looking after me this long. You’ve all played your part in looking after all of us, in making it a friendly atmosphere and in making sure we’re well and safe. You’ve been so friendly, and I can call upon you whenever I need to, it’s been wonderful, so thank you all.”

Attending the ceremony alongside Jean was her daughter, Karen Habgood. She said, “We are all very happy with the care and devotion that Mum receives from all the team at Bridge House. She enjoys all the social activities, especially the weekly quizzes and visits from the singers and musicians. She has made some lovely friends over the years and has fond memories of her time spent here.”

Jean has seen our home be extensively refurbished and the relaunch of the Riverly Club in 2023, a leisure facility that offers a fitness suite and spa, bistro, cinema and events for residents and older members of the community.

“I joined the Riverly Club when it first opened,” Jean said. “I was impressed with the home and became familiar with it through the club, so it was always going to be the home I came to.”

Alongside Jean our home has many long-standing team members, who have been at Bridge House for over ten years.

Business manager and qualified nurse, June Maharaj, who commissioned the opening of Bridge House and welcomed Jean into our home, said the continuity of care was truly something to celebrate.

“It’s so reassuring for residents to see the same faces in their home every day, year after year,” she said. “The strength and commitment of our team was confirmed by us winning the Team of the Year Award at the Oxfordshire Care Awards this year, it recognised the heart of everything we stand for. Achieving an Outstanding rating from the Care Quality Commission (CQC), was a proud moment for all of us too, especially as only 4% of care homes in the UK have this rating. It reflected the years of dedication, love, and relentless effort from the entire team that we still hold today. These milestones weren’t just professional achievements; they were emotional affirmations that what we’re doing matters.”

Deputy manager, Anita Radecka began her Bridge House journey as a healthcare assistant. She said, “I am proud to be part of this home where the residents are our extended family. They know we are always here for them whenever they need us.”

Head of services, Linda Clack, and head of maintenance, Gary Hodson have both worked here for over ten years. “Residents become like family”, said Gary, “and going home knowing I’ve put a smile on someone’s face that day gives me a sense of accomplishment.”

While residents don’t have to worry about washing and ironing, our dedicated laundry assistant, Ellie Stevens, knows accepting their help contributes to their sense of purpose and is an act of reminiscence, connecting them to daily life and past routines. “If a resident wants to join me in the laundry, they can,” she explained, “and it’s brilliant. It gives them that feeling of being at home and we share lovely memories and moments together.”

Like others, lifestyle & Riverly Club manager, Chantelle Merritt, has seen our home grow from 13 residents to the lively community-focussed hub it is today. “I would never consider Bridge House “work””, she said, “It’s literally one of my purposes in life.”

“We have created an amazing home and links to the community and launched our ‘Friends of Bridge House’ initiative, which I’m so proud of. This pioneering project has forged more than 70 partnerships with local businesses and community groups, ensuring that residents remain actively involved in Abingdon life. We strive daily to go above and beyond to create magic moments for everyone.”

Our home holds a Platinum Status in the Gold Standards Framework for end of life care, reflecting the highest level of quality in this area and we pride ourselves in supporting our residents’ friends, family members and loved ones too.

Our home manager, Marta Leszko, said, “Our home is special because of our commitment to bring comfort, dignity, and happiness to our residents, across all departments and the specialisms our team brings to dementia care. Each person also brings their own culture and background, and we share this with our residents through celebrations and everyday life.

“We had a brilliant 12th anniversary celebration and Jean’s speech really meant a lot to us all.”