September

 2009

PHOENIXNEWS

ISSUE 22

14th SEPTEMBER 1989 14th SEPTEMBER 2009

On Monday 14th September 2009 Dave and Cathy celebrated owning and running of Ashdown, They held an open morning when friends, colleagues past and present turned up to congratulate not only them but also the current staff and for a chat to the residents. The open morning was supposed to be from 10am to 12 noon yet people kept coming and going and not only that some people even phoned and said well done, this was truly a day to remember.

Our reporter managed to catch up with Dave and asked what can he remember about the last 20 years, Dave said " the last 20 years has been a challenge trying to make a comfortable place for the clients to live in and coping with all the red tape that keeps cropping up, Dave also said he remembers with fond memories the clients who have come and gone, Mary who was only with us a short time, Gwen who loved her fag's how would she have coped with the smoking law, Phyllis who often remarked when going over Shaldon bridge when the tide was out "There's no water in the sea", Leslie who was a true gentleman and pinched all the apples off the tree, Eliza who loved her grapes, Sylvie who needed her Wrigglys chewing gum, Tom who's knowledge of gardening was fantastic and last but not least Mike who after years of smoking 20+ a day decided it was a waste of money and stopped all would be remembered and never forgotten.

He also mentioned the families of the current residents who in their own ways have combined their families together with the Ashdown family, Tom and Barbara, Ralph and Joan, Toni and Peter, Margaret and David, Angela, Roger, Maureen, John and Karen, Marika, Judy and Val, Alan and Margaret all have been there when needed. Over the last 20 years David said the home has made many friends from the local community and teams who all have helped in a way to make Ashdown a name in the community it has today, these include Brenda Naish from the local Church, Members of the local learning disabilities team John, Chloe, Katy, Lorraine, Alison, Marie and not forgetting Mike, then there's Phillip and Brenda from Torquay and now Spain, Dr Martin King and all at Den Crescent, Staff at Frog Island Brewery, Peter and Su from the Teenbridge Project and many many more.

Then there are the staff and Dave remembered that when they first started they had 1 cleaner Phyllis who worked for the first couple of years and since then they have had numerous staff who have come and gone including Judy, Pat Katarina and Maria yet Dave said "to run a successful home you need a good workforce / team and he does not have a good team he has a great team with some who have left to gain experience and re-joined these are Jackie, Debbie, Paula and Silvia and with Georgina, Idelia, Judy, Sarah, Louise, Tania and Jade they are have all contributed to the position the home holds within the community.

Then there are our visiting professionals who over the years been a true friend to everyone, Sue the Podiatrist, Jan the Hairdresser, Stuart the Entertainer and of course there's Gina and the other district nurses who are always coming to see us even if it only just to say hello.

DAVID'S ANGLES

Well we have all heard of the TV program Charlie's Angles but here we have from left to right David's Angles that's Kate Jackson (Silvia), Farrah Fawcett Majors (Debbie) and Jaclyn Smith (Sarah).

WINDY BUT NICE

On a windy September morning Dena and a member of staff set out on a period of rest and relaxation they had already been to Exeter so this time it was in the opposite direction and Torquay beckoned, they started of with a pleasant train ride to Torquay and then down to the Living Coast's to look at the Penguins, birds and seals.

After this as the weather brightened up they decided that a Fish and Chip lunch in Brixham was in order but how to get there, when on the south coast there's a lot of sea so one way is boat and so they sailed off into the sun retuning by train to Teignmouth a few hours later tired but happy, what a great time was had.

TWICE THE ZOO

In June although not being able to play golf due to injury Dave still supported the Rotary Club of Teignmouth and still brought raffle tickets and as luck was in he won a couple of prizes, as the residents don't like whiskey he decide to give his other prize of tickets to the Shalden Zoo to the residents to enjoy.

As the others were busy on a nice bright day Dena and member of staff enjoyed several hours looking at all the wonderful animals and then tea and biscuits they returned to the home.

A couple of days later Beth and Tony were not busy and it was decided to take them with the remaining tickets yet Dena decided that she would love to see all the exhibits again so they all set of to the zoo on a sunny Saturday, they looked at all types of animals and even tried to insist that the Meerkat's looked like members of staff then it was a ferry ride back to Teignmouth, then with a Devon cream tea it sealed of a great day.

SURPRISE SURPRISE

As there was going to be a musical concert of world wide recognition being held in Teignmouth  Beth's sister Angela called in to see her on a flying visit.

HOLIDAYS 2010

Perran Sands a wonderful holiday site located on the North coast of Cornwall, 5 minutes from Newquay and less to Perranporth and it is within easy reach of most of Cornwall attractions, Eden Project, Flambards, Lands End, St Michaels Mount, St Ives to name just a few. The site has all the normal amenities including Swimming pool, Entertainment Area, Fruit / Machines / Bowling / pool tables, Cafe's, Crazy Golf, Fish and chip shop, convenience store, Laundrette and not forgetting the Burger King.

The caravan is classed as Prestige ( a bit more luxury) and has been added to the Ashdown portfolio and will sleep 6 people and not only the residents are going on holiday to it but you have the opportunity as well as the home will be letting it out, The home will be producing a web site in the future, in the meantime if anyone would like to rent it, please contact the home.

ASHDOWN’S 20 YEARS, A POEM BY EDWINA BURROWS

There is called Ashdown

Which is in Woodway Road

A home for special people

Over 18 years old

A couple called the Ridings

Were the first owners here?

He used to take young Stuart

Out for a pint of beer

He also had some pasties

And other things to eat

He had to do some work first

This outing was a treat

The Ridings did retire

In 1989

It was then Dave and Cathy

Did give this place its shine

They did a lot of building

And did improve the way

That Ashdown did look like

It is the same today

Since I moved into Ashdown

In 1999

There have been many outings

We have had a good time

We’ve been to sunny Cornwall

And had a bit of lunch

In a local cafe

Quite happily we munched

We’ve also been to Plymouth

Which was Edwina’s home town

It brought back many memories

As people looked around

We had a little meal

Upon the Plymouth Hoe

Which is so stepped in history?

It’s famous don’t you know

We also went round Exmouth

To see the country life

It was quite a long journey

But there was not any strife

When I first moved in here

Most people used to work

At a large place named Outlook

They had no time to shirk

I think they did some cooking

And other things as well

But I was always busy

So more I cannot tell

Some people went to college

At Teignmouth CC

We learnt the art of cooking

And craft work to you see

Ashdown has a large garden

In which the flowers grow

In the spring and summer

I tend them don’t you know

We used to have some rabbits

And a tortoise called Fred

But Fred has disappeared

Where has he gone we said?

We hunted in the hedge rows

And also down the lane

Where ever we could think of

Calling our Fred by name

But our Fred is still missing

After all these years

The people who were present

At this did shed some tears

But also in the summer

We have a bar b que

They cooked some tasty food stuffs

Far more than we can chew

Sausages and salad

And lovely Chicken legs

Beef burgers and some onions

And also some scotch eggs

We sit out in the garden

And have a tasty munch

Dave takes films on his camera

We are a happy bunch

We move on to the winter

When roads are white with snow

And all the lovely people

Inside their homes do go

It’s then that Dave gets busy

With tinsel and the tree

Making the home look pretty

Folk pitch in happily

Santa is on the outside

A different place each year

Bringing to local youngsters

A bit of Christmas cheer

While inside the hall way

Beside the Christmas tree

There stand a crib depicting

Our Lords nativity

The shepherds kings and angles

Beside the new born babe

Who’s lying in the manger?

Us sinners he did save

The place is full of tinsel

Santa’s and holly to

To give us a good Christmas

Were luckily compared to

The many homeless people

Who roam our city streets?

And sleep in card board boxes

With not enough to eat

Now round about December

The management prepare

A really lovely party

With lots of food to share

It is a lot of cooking

For George our lady cook

But it is really worth it

If you can see the look

On all the people’s faces

As they gather to eat

The sausages and chickens

And other kinds of treats

Some staff has stayed as Ashdown

But others have moved on

To many other places

The time is marching on

There has been Judy Ranken

A cockney through and through

Who stayed with us a while

Then found new work to do

There’s been Charlotte and Shelia

Our Judy and our Pip

And also there’s Maria

Who still comes in a bit?

And then we had our Irene

And then the young man Chris

These to have been quite recent

But I remember this

And when it is our birthday

We have a lovely cake

Which our good friend Georgina

For each person does make

And finally November

When it is Guy Fawkes Day

A time that we’ll remember

As we get a display

Of rockets and the sparklers

That light up the night sky

And causes such great pleasure

To people passing by

We also have some folk

To do our feet and hair

They make us look so pretty

And really show they care

About the Ashdown people

In their own special way

My rhyme it is ended

That’s all I have to say

So thank you Dave and Cathy

For everything you’ve done

Since you have been at Ashdown

We’ve really had some fun

October's BIRTHDAY'S

Jackie (staff) 3rd

MUSE

To those of you who have been living under a blanket during the first few days of September the world renown group Muse on the 4th and 5th played on the Den by the sea front. All the worries about traffic problems did not appear and there was no behaviour problem. 2 of the residents wanted to go down and enjoy the experience of the night so on the 5th Dave, Cathy, Dena and Beth made there way down to stand outside the doctors surgery along with another 10,000+ people who were not in the arena, everyone was toe tapping, hand clapping and singing along when possible. The next few days at the home turned in to Muse mania at the home with music blaring out and dancing

FUND RAISING

On the 4th and 5th of September as earlier reported the world renown group Muse played 2 gigs in there home town of Teignmouth and as one of them lives very near to us and as we are a cheeky lot and we asked them for a signed copy of there Black holes and Revelations CD that we could put in a silent auction, there was a lot of keen interest in the CD and soon found its way up to £50 and then £100 then the bids were coming think and fast increasing slowly but surely until at the closing time the winner was Angela Tooley for £160.01, the fund says thank you.

The fund rising has now stopped and we shall be sending of the last of the money raised in the next few days to Epilepsy research UK and early indications indicate we have reached our target of £1000, As soon as they have a total amount raised for us it will be published, thank you to everyone who in there own little way has help in this project.

The results of the final raffle are 1st Mrs S Cherry, 2nd Jade, 3rd Silvia, 4th T Court, 5th Man from Dawlish, 6th Katy from the LDT, 7th 41 Woodway Road, 8th Paula, 9th Georgina, 10th John Woodgates, 11th Alan the Telly, 12th Sharon the Chiropodist, 13th John the Garden, 14th Jackie White House and 15th Jade Ward all were drawn by independent people.

And a special thank you to Edwina who tirelessly helped in the fund raising and who now wants to do more as she is missing it.

FORTH COMING EVENTS

Causeway Group

Teign Area Club

New Horizons Courses

Christmas Party (to be arranged)

2010 Holidays (April) (June) (September) all 2010

Do you fancy relaxing in the sun in Spain then look no further      www.relaxingmijas.co.uk

 Bookings taken for late 2009 and 2010

If this newsletter has been posted to you and you do have internet access then by dropping a line to manager@ashdowncarehome.co.uk we will add you to the e-mail mailing list.

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