ABBEYFIELD

GLOUCESTERSHIRE NEWS January 2017

Betty Takes to the Skies! Brave Betty Bromage, of the

Cheltenham House, was

strapped to the wings of a

1944 Boeing-Stearman

during a death-defying stunt.

Betty raised over 1,100, with

all the money going to

Midlands Air Ambulance

Charity.

"I had a wonderful time, and being a retired nurse,

am happy to support the Air Ambulance in their

work that I have seen first hand. I am now looking

for my next challenge."

ABBEYFIELD

GLOUCESTERSHIRE NEWS January 2017

Joy to the World! Children from Chesterton Primary school

treated the Cirencester residents to a festive

performance of traditional carols. The

singers wore Santa hats and novelty festive

headbands, sang favourites including We

Wish You a Merry Christmas before tucking

into mince pies and shortbread with the

residents. The children had also made

individual Christmas cards for each of the

residents

Resident, Liz Woodham, said: I really enjoyed the children coming in

and singing to us. They sounded wonderful.

Elaine King, House Manager said: The smiles on the faces of our

residents when they heard the children was wonderful to see, it

was a lovely way to get into the spirit of Christmas.

Christmas in the Cathedral

On the 16th December residents from Cheltenham, Prestbury and Cirencester houses

enjoyed festive carols, seasonal readings and musical performances in Gloucester

Cathedral from Age UK Gloucestershires Choir, the Silver Surfers as well as children

from Dunalley Primary School.

TSB Charity Day John White and Nikki Browning attended a TSB Charity Day at their offices in Barnwood. It was an opportunity for the TSB employees to be able to talk directly to charities and we are hopeful this will turn into a good future relationship with them. Debbie Waterland from the TSB said Its really fantastic to have had local charities in to meet TSB Partners on the 12th October. Everyone had the opportunity to talk to-gether about what TSB Partners in Barnwood can offer in terms of skills transfer, awareness sessions such as cv writing, fraud awareness and banking basics and the development this allows the charities. TSB look forward to hearing how well these relationship develop in the future.

Christmas Tree Festival This year we have supported Cirencester Parish Churchs Tree Festival. There were 40 decorated trees dotted around the church and they all looked amazing. We were very lucky to get a position right next to the front door!

After the towns lights switch on, which took place on 27th November, the churchs lights were switched off leaving only the Christmas tree lights on. It looked absolutely magical!

Golden Galleries As part of Abbeyfield 60th year

celebrations, the Abbeyfield

Society launched the Golden

Gallery Art & Soul

Exhibition. Showcasing a national

art exhibition that comprised of

pieces of work created by older

people living in Abbeyfield houses

across the country. The aim of the

exhibition was to highlight the

important therapeutic benefits art

brings to older people. Artwork

was showcased at Birmingham

Museum & Art Gallery, Nottingham

City Arts, The Curve Gallery in

Northern Ireland and St Albans.

Abbeyfield Gloucestershire was

well represented with artwork from

residents living in our Prestbury

and Cirencester Houses.

This initiative will be repeated again

next year but it will be in a different

format. Watch this space!

A big THANK YOU to the

Cheltenham and Prestbury houses

for hosting events in September

raising money for Macmillian

Cancer Support. We were able to

donate a healthy 280 to this great

cause.

January Quiz!

1. What year was the bikini swimsuit unveiled to the public? a. 1943, Casablanca. b. 1947, Honolulu. c. 1946, Paris.

2. What method did women adapt to look as if they were wearing stockings when none was available due to rationing during W.W.II?

a. Suntan. b. Leg painting. c. Wearing slacks.

3. Which Paris designer gained fame in the 1940s for his "New Look?" a. Lewis Comfort Tiffany. b. Christian Dior. c. Yves St. Lurant.

4. How did famous '40s bandleader, Glenn Miller, die? a. Pneumonia caught when his trombone's spit valve backfired. b. Heart attack when hearing that June Allyson was to play his wife in a movie. c. Plane crash over the English Channel.

5. What was the nickname given to the women who worked in the USA's war production plants during W.W.II?

a. Contentious Clara, the commander. b. Bodacious Betty, the blue-collar bomb. c. Rosie the Riveter.

6. Who was Bill Haley and what was the name of his group? a. World War II General, wounded leader of the Italian Campaign. b. Democratic candidate for Congress in 1958. c. 1950s Rock and Roll singer and guitarist, leader of "Bill Haley and the Comets."

Abbeyfield takes the train Residents from Cheltenham, Prestbury, Cirencester and Tewkesbury enjoyed a lovely morning train ride on the GWR steam train. As always the service and attention to detail was perfect and all of our passengers were thrilled with the experience. Thank you to Noel for booking the train trip and to Sam and her staff for a sumptuous buffet lunch back at the Prestbury house. Everyone is looking forward to a return trip in September.

Helping Hands

Joe and Fatima from Barclays UK Digital Eagles, paid our house in Cirencester a visit in September to teach our resident Bill, aged 97, how to use an iPad for the first ever time!

Christmas Party!

The Cheltenham House held the annual Christmas party for residents, staff, committee, family and friends. There was good conversation, a delicious buffet, and a raffle in which almost everybody won a prize.

January Quizanswers

1. c) 1946, Paris. The bikini got its name from the South Pacific atoll where the atomic bomb was tested.

2. b) Leg painting, including black lines on the back of the leg to resemble seamed stockings. A whole industry developed around leg painting as it was thought the height of fashion to look as if you were wearing the impossible-to-get nylon stockings. 3. b) Christian Dior. After the war years with their masculine fashions, Christian Dior designed a line of clothing featuring nipped waists and long "Flower Petal" skirts topped with head-hugging hats. Mamie Eisenhower adopted this style and, along with her bangs, became the world's most avid fan of the "New Look." 4. c) Plane crash. It has never been established whether his plane was shot down, or crashed due to weather or mechanical failure. 5. c) Rosie, the riveter. These wives, mothers, and girlfriends of the men fighting overseas become the deciding factor in the production of war material, and share in America's final victory. 6. c) "Haley and the Comets," early rockers. They debuted on American Band-stand and helped usher in the Rock and Roll age, much to the consternation of parents and clergy worldwide.

Whats coming up Thursday 15

th June, 2017, 2.30pm: Cirencesters Annual Strawberry Tea Party

Tuesday 5

th September 2017: Trip on the GWR Railway followed by a buffet lunch

at the Prestbury house