Spring 18 | Edition 8 A newsletter for all residents and staff; families and friends of the Whitgift Almshouses, Whitgift House, Wilhelmina House and the 1596 Club.

Congratulations to Wilhelmina House

Wilhelmina House has been awarded ‘Top 20’ care home likely’ to recommend the care home. in London by leading review site carehome.co.uk. Deborah Pearson, Wilhelmina House manager, said: The title is given to the care homes most recommended “We are thrilled to have received so many excellent across London and is awarded based on reviews recommendations that we have now been recognised from residents, plus relatives and friends. as a top 20 care home in London by carehome.co.uk.

The reviews consider several aspects of the “The reviews are testament to the highest standard home, including cleanliness, food and drink, of care provided by my staff team who go above and dignity, activities and value for money. beyond to create a warm and caring community for our residents. I would like to thank everyone Wilhelmina House received an average rating of who has taken the time to review our services.” good to excellent, while everyone who submitted a review stated that they would be ‘extremely Thank you!

Message from Martin Top 20 London care homes in 2018 – a fantastic and well deserved achievement. Now that spring has sprung with lighter evenings and warmer weather, we have a brand new edition of Whitgift Martin Corney Care News. We recap on all the enjoyable events taking Chief Executive, place across the homes, say a fond farewell to a treasured The Whitgift Foundation staff member and find out more about an important date in the calendar, Founder’s Day. Thank you to all who reviewed Wilhelmina House. The home is now crowned www.whitgiftcare.co.uk /WhitgiftCare Proud to 020 8256 1596 @1596Whitgift be part of Events and activities

Wilhelmina House joins Contact the Elderly for tea party Wilhelmina House held a tea party organised by Contact the Elderly on Sunday 21st January.

The afternoon was a great opportunity for residents to meet new people who live in the local area.

Contact the Elderly has been organising free monthly Sunday afternoon tea parties for groups Pancake Day of older people since 1965 to tackle loneliness. Pancake Day is always great fun at Whitgift Wilhelmina House residents had a wonderful House. Residents, 1596 Club members and time meeting new people and dancing to staff gathered together to enjoy yummy live music by visiting DJ Denny. pancakes before competing in a pancake tossing competition on Tuesday 13 February.

The delicious pancakes were freshly made by the Whitgift House cooks. Whitgift House resident commented: “I always look forward to Shrove Tuesday at Whitgift House, the pancakes are delicious!”

After several rounds of pancake tossing the residents enjoyed a cup of tea whilst talking about the meaning of Shrove Tuesday and traditions and memories from their childhoods.

Old Palace perform Scottish themed assembly at Whitgift House Whitgift House residents and had a wonderful morning.” 1596 Club members welcomed Old Year 2 student said: “We love Palace Year 2 students to perform performing and meeting the their wonderful Scottish themed people who live at Whitgift assembly on Wednesday 7 March. House, everyone is friendly.” Smiles and joy were brought to 1596 Club member, Beryl gushed: everyone as students read poetry and “Seeing the little ones brought back performed Scottish dances. Students precious memories of when my showed residents their home-made children and grandchild were young.” felt tartans before handing out a generous gift of shortbread biscuits. Thank you Old Palace students and staff for visiting Whitgift 1596 Club member, Derrick House. Residents and staff said: “It’s so nice to bring the across Whitgift Care eagerly different generations of the anticipate your future visits. Foundation together. We’ve 2 Whitgift House says farewell to Activities Organiser, Alison Whitgift House said farewell and thank you to the home’s Activities Organiser, Alison. After nine years of organising fantastic events, activities and parties she is now retiring.

Residents, staff and guests gathered in the community room to give thanks for her care and dedication. They were proud to give her a wonderful new folding bike, bunches of flowers and cards as tokens of their gratitude.

Alison joined Whitgift House in Summer 2009 and describes it as one of the best places to be. Her role was to provide a programme of activities and events for full nursing residents.

“I enjoyed providing a wide range of new activities as well as celebrating the traditional events such as the annual Garden Party.”

“I loved to throw in some surprises such as the visiting farm or clog dancers. Every so often there were special moments such as welcoming visitors for croquet in the sunshine, someone’s milestone birthday, gathering together as a community to celebrate a Royal event, enjoying talented musicians or having a good sing-a-long.”

Whitgift Care wishes Alison the best of luck in her retirement and the adventures to come! Thank you for all your hard work and commitment.

Zoo Lab animals amaze Incredible creatures were brought into Whitgift House resident said: “This afternoon has been Whitgift House by Zoo Lab, an animal educational – it’s been a wonderful experience.” handling company, on Tuesday 13 March. 1596 Club member spoke about their pet: “I have a cat Charlie the Hissing Cockroach, Ivy the Tarantula, Harley at home which I love, I’m not sure I would like to own a the Corn Snake, Wizard the Rat and George the Giant snake but it was fun to have the opportunity to hold one.” African Land Snail greeted and amazed residents from Wilhelmina House resident said: “Marvelous creatures, it’s all three homes and members of the 1596 Club. great that we share our planet with them and that we’ve Everyone had the opportunity to hold the fascinating been able to see them and hold them this afternoon.” reptiles and rodents and discover interesting facts:

• Charlie the hissing Cockroach can live in a block of ice for up to two and a half years and survive – as he has a naturally occurring anti-freeze

• Ivy the two-year-old Tarantula will live until she is 30, she is usually bright pink but currently black as she is shedding her coat

• Harley the North America Corn Snake has four strong muscles to move and climb

3 Events Gallery

Here are a selection of just a few of the events keeping our residents busy…

Mayor of Cllr Toni Letts and CEO Martin Corney celebrating Founder’s Day at the Minster

Flower Day at Whitgift House in preperation for Founder’s Day

Pancake Day fun at Whitgift House

Easter scene created by our Almshouses residents

4 Wilhelmina House Easter Coffee Morning was a great success

Old Palace students performing their Scottish themed assembly

Fantastic creatures from Zoo Lab visit Whitgift House

5 Founder’s Day Find out more about Founder’s Day and how it all began

What is Founder’s Day? from the Worshipful Company of Fishmongers’ who have supported the event for more than 400 years. Founder’s Day is celebrated across The Whitgift Foundation’s services to commemorate Archbishop When did the first Founder’s laying the first two Foundation Stones Day take place? of his Hospital of the Holy Trinity (now known The first Founder’s Day Service is recorded to have as the Whitgift Almshouses) on 22 March 1596. taken place in 1614 thanks to Dr William Barlow, His original vision to build a Hospital and support Bishop of Lincoln and once chaplain to Archbishop the more vulnerable sections of society continues Whitgift. There is an entry in the Hospital’s ledger today through the charitable work of The Whitgift book referring to a gift made from Dr Barlow to Foundation in education, care and support for the Hospital. In his will proved in October 1613, Dr Croydon’s carers. The charity now transforms the lives Barlow granted £100 to the Worshipful Company of of thousands of children and young people through Fishmongers’ to whom he had family connections. educational excellence; provides invaluable support The annual interest of this sum of money was to be to carers across the borough and enables older people given to the Hospital for a Founder’s Day Service. to benefit from warm and caring communities. What happens on the day? Whitgift Care residents, staff and Year 7 students at Whitgift, Trinity and Old Palace all gather together to take part in the annual Founder’s Day Service held at . Commencing with a drum roll by ’s Corp of Drums outside the Minster, the Service is a unique and momentous occasion where the generations gather together to give thanks for the life of our Founder, Archbishop John Whitgift. After the Service, students and residents enjoy a Founder’s Day lunch at their respective schools or care homes. A special lunch takes place in the Common Room of the Whitgift Almshouses attended by Governors, staff, residents and representatives

6 The interest was to be divided up as follows: 13s 4d to Due to circumstances of the time such as nightly air pay for a fish dinner in the Common Hall for all those raids during the Second World War and latterly the residing at the Hospital, the more vulnerable sections hindrance of traffic, these features were discontinued. of society; 13s 4d to a preacher to deliver a sermon and celebrate the life of Archbishop Whitgift; 10s to be “It is a joyful occasion when we put into the Hospital’s communal funds; 3s 4d to the gather with others, young and old, Vicar of Croydon to give notice about the Service on to remember and give thanks for the the Sunday beforehand and 6s 8d to a member of the legacy of Archbishop John Whitgift.” Worshipful Company of Fishmongers’ to visit and ensure that these wishes had been carried out. This tradition of Almshouses resident, David distributing gifts is still carried out today at the Whitgift Almshouses following the Founder’s Day Service, where Foundation Governors and staff enjoy a fish lunch.

Over the years, other Founder’s Day traditions have come and gone. At one time, boys from both Trinity and Whitgift would parade from North End and Church Road (where the schools were once located) with their masters, dressed in academic robes and led by their respective Corps of Drums. Beforehand, each boy was presented with a button hole of white flowers or ‘white gift’ (Queen Elizabeth I’s pun after the Founder’s name) by the Chairman of Governors.

founder’s day factfile

• The site of the Almshouses was once occupied by the Chequer Inn and was purchased by Archbishop Whitgift for £200. • The original letter from Queen Elizabeth I, or Letters Patent, authorising Whitgift to found the Almshouses, hangs on the wall of the Audience Chamber. • Records show that the cost of building the Whitgift Almshouses was £2,716 11s 11d. • Whitgift’s name was originally Ioannes Whitegiftus, which is why an ‘I’ and ‘W’ is found on the Almshouses gable looking towards Crown Hill. • The Almshouses originally housed 30 to 40 people. • Archbishop Whitgift died on 29 February 1604 at Lambeth Palace. His last words were ‘Pro Ecclesia Dei’ for the Church of God. His tomb lies at Croydon Minster. • In 2014, a special guest, HRH The Princess Royal, attended Founder’s Day to celebrate the 400th Founder’s Day Service.

7 Whitgift Care Quiz

Here is a spring themed quiz for you to enjoy:

Question 1: Approximately how many Question 2: What do crocuses grow from? spring tides are there each year?

Question 3: What is the French word for spring? Question 4: What kind of animal is the Springbok?

The Whitgift Foundation Review us shares how it helps 1000s The Whitgift Foundation has launched a new video as part Carehome.co.uk is a popular of its #HelpingCroydon campaign to raise awareness of online directory guide for all UK the charity’s work by showcasing how it helps thousands care homes. Many prospective of people in the Croydon community every day. residents and families browse As one of Croydon’s longest established charities, the through the site when looking for Foundation helps people from all walks of life through its a home as it includes reviews by care services for older people, support for the borough’s current residents, families and carers and a £5 million a year bursary scheme available to students at its three leading independent schools. friends about their first-hand experiences of care services, The video tells the stories of a few people who the charity facilities, atmosphere and staff. has helped demonstrating how easily they can be linked together – they could all be waiting at a tram stop and You can review us by picking not know how significantly The Whitgift Foundation has helped the person standing next to them. up a card available from the reception in both homes, or Visit www.whitgiftfoundation.co.uk to watch the video. directly at: www.carehome.co.uk Facebook and Twitter Don’t forget to find us on our social media channels. We regularly post the latest news and activities from Whitgift Care on our feeds. We love to hear from you too Feedback when you like or comment on our posts. Make sure you LIKE our Facebook page so you don’t miss a post. We always welcome your feedback. If you have something you would www.facebook.co.uk/whitgiftcare like us to know, or a suggestion such Twitter: @1596Whitgift as a new activity you would like to try, or tell us that a member of staff has made your day, please let

your Care Home Manager know.

Antelope A4 | Printemps A3 | Corms A2 | 24 A1