After some time without our newsletter, we are glad to be back! We have put together the latest news from our centres in England and Africa, so you can get the best insights at just a glance. Vaccines, COVID, games, parties... We've had it all!
Read more about March Newsletter
Lucia recently joined the Sisters Hospitallers family as a Registered Manager. “I like the principles and values that are at the heart of the organisation and it would be an honour to live up to their standards and to be of service.” She has over twenty years of experience working with vulnerable children and adults with different diagnoses and in various settings, such as supported living, outreach and residential homes. She feels proud of having always strived to make a difference to the people she has worked with.
Read more about “When there is a happy, positive environment, all the rest is much easier to achieve.”
Sisters Hospitallers in Liberia would like to share the latest news from St Benedict Menni Health Centre. The last weeks were full of activities, visits and birthday celebrations. But most of all, they would like to share one reflection “If there is one thing we have learnt during this pandemic it’s to celebrate life and every single moment.”
Read more about Activities, Visit & Birthdays
The Sisters from Footherley Hall have been supporting the Society of St. Vincent the Paul (SVP ) group from Holy Trinity Church, Sutton Coldfield for several years, donating items that have been distributed primarily to migrants. On hearing from the SVP they are now not only helping migrants but also many others who have lost their jobs due to the pandemic and are finding it difficult to sustain their families, all the staff contributed to the solidarity project and with the amount collected we are sending food every week.
Read more about In Collaboration with the SVP
Music was a very important part of our residents' lives at St Teresa’s Home, especially during the pandemic, it helped us to snap out of any gloomy moods and go back to being relaxed and happy. On several occasions, staff joined in helping to organise joyful and uplifting activities for our residents. Jennifer, who is a gifted singer, was happy to get involved in sing a long afternoon and to lead the activity with her beautiful voice. The musical afternoon quickly became a dance session. Our little party ended with laughs, tea and cakes.
Read more about Music fulfilled us!
St Augustine's residents made a beautiful family tree. All the residents’ names are there because we are all part of St Augustine’s family and this lovely tree represents us. Susan, Maurice, Michael, Lily, Peggy and Jenny helped to put the tree together. Maurice did extra hard work cutting and glueing. Meanwhile, the rest of the residents helped with ideas to make it more decorative.
Read more about Arts and crafts
Our residents in Shenstone had a lovely time doing arts and crafts, they have been very creative indeed! On cold rainy days, what better way to spend the morning than sitting in our warm and cosy lounge at Footherley Hall playing various board games, jigsaws and balloon tennis.
Read more about Arts & Crafts at Footherley Hall
St Teresa’s residents made a virtual trip to Spain. Residents, staff and sisters shared a cup of aromatic and tasty coffee and to sample delicacies from the country, while being virtually transported to different parts of Spain, by watching interesting travel documentaries. We visited Madrid, Barcelona - the basilica of Sagrada Familia and the monastery of Montserrat, León, Andalucía and the Pyrenees mountains. The residents were fascinated by the rich culture of the country, ancient history and the very appealing sight of its delicious and tasty cuisine.
Read more about A virtual trip to Spain
Nina Amoo recently joined Sisters Hospitallers as Head of HR. Previously she was employed as an HR Consultant working on the Nightingale field hospitals in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. She has been working in Human Resources for almost 20 years. We have interviewed her and she said, “I am drawn to organisations where the values are embedded into the way things are done throughout every touchpoint of the organisation.” “Health and social care are where my heart is”
Read more about “Health and social care are where my heart is”
At Footherley Hall Care Home we had our own Fancy Dress Day! Captainess Silver Toni and Shipwreck Sue threw down the anchor and landed at Footherley Hall to a ‘Ha Ha Me Hearties’ quote of the day from our resident Rosie ‘now you’re a sight for sore eyes aren’t you!’ It was a day of ‘hearty’ fun and a complete ‘barrel’ of laughs!
Read more about Our very own Pirate Fancy Dress Day
Sisters Hospitallers in Shenstone have reflected in the meaning of Advent and the would like to share their thoughts. “The Advent readings invite us to recall our own faith history. We must stay awake and alert to the call in the midst of our society and be willing to help others who may be struggling with their own preoccupations.”
Read more about Advent Reflection “STAY AWAKE!”
Sr Anastasia is a Sister Hospitaller in the community of Dompoase. She recently finished Master in procurement and she would like to share her tough but very useful journey. “I was told beforehand by those who had a similar degree that the course is very demanding but I accepted the offer bearing this in mind. I must admit that it was indeed challenging with many assignments, research, attending lectures and a whole lot more.”
Read more about A journey to Master of Science
Sisters Hospitallers are immersed in reviewing their constitution. They studied, prayed and reflected on its contents in an atmosphere of fraternal sharing. It was a very enriching experience at a community level. Shenstone and London communities would like to share their conclusions so far. Sr Bernardina concluded by saying ‘we call the constitution our Gospel, living the hospitality as consecrated life in the world.’
Read more about Celebrating our Constitutions
At Sisters Hospitallers care home in London, we had many beautiful moments in October and the days were filled with activities and joy. Painting, quizzes, outings, concerts, games and movie afternoons were some of our daily activities.
Read more about Daily Activities
Sisters Hospitallers are recruiting for Day & Night Healthcare Assistants at our Care Home, St Augustine’s, in Addlestone. If you enjoy helping people and want to make a positive difference in their lives, this job could just be what you are looking for. Working with a really supportive team and friendly atmosphere, Care and Support workers are at the absolute heart of what we do, by providing the majority of frontline care within our Care Home. Our focus is on the care of the elderly, to include those with Dementia. As a Charitable business, our ethos is to provide hospitality, humanity and care with professionalism.
Read more about Sisters Hospitallers are recruiting for Day & Night Healthcare Assistants in Addlestone
Katie Lee has been Deputy Manager at St Augustine’s Home since last September. She has reached NVQ Level 5, starting in the care sector as a part-time domiciliary care assistant because she was looking for a rewarding job. “I started work as a domiciliary care assistant many years ago when my children were small. I wanted a part-time job that not only fitted around my family commitments but was also rewarding.”
Read more about “A career in care is so rewarding”
St Benedict Health Center joined World Mental Health Day. This year theme was ‘Mental health for all. Greater investment, greater access.’ Sisters Hospitallers centre in Liberia organised an event to meet with relatives of patients to discuss issues concerning mental health with an emphasis on this theme. A few patients made themselves available to record a video for Sisters Hospitallers sharing their opinions on their interaction with people taking into account their mental illness - and how they live independently with it.
Read more about Mental Health Day
Sisters Hospitallers care home in London has introduced a new activity – ‘Visit a country’ morning. Each month we present a country to our residents and take them on a virtual trip. In October, the residents were happy to learn more about France during our French Morning.
Read more about French Morning
Kevin Rusbridge is Sisters Hospitallers Managing Director in the UK. He wants to share a positive message as the UK prepares itself for another lockdown. “This brings about its own challenges for businesses who have faced an unprecedented level of disruptions not only in Healthcare but across all global markets.”
Read more about Message for the Managing Director
Sisters Hospitallers community in Addlestone celebrates the 30th of each month María Josefa Recio’s Day. She was one of the foundresses of the Congregation together with Benedict Mennin and María Angustias Jimenez. They dedicate the day to reflect on her many virtues, especially her life of prayer, charity and service.
Read more about María Josefa Recio’s Day in Addlestone
Cheese and Wine Afternoon at Footherly Hall Care Home! The residents at Sisters Hospitallers centre in Shenstone have enjoyed tasting wine and cheese from around the world.
Read more about Cheese and Wine Afternoon
Sister Hospitallers are immersed in reviewing their constitution. Sister Joana, from the community of Foso, would like to share the conclusions they have reached after completing the first review.
Read more about Constitutional review
The residents at Sisters Hospitallers care home in London have been enjoying a new game - “The magic table”. It is a projector of interactive technology, similar to a computer, loaded with many sensory games which can be played on a table. The magic table is helping to put a smile on the faces of our residents with dementia– while increasing their social engagement.
Read more about Magic table
St Benedict Menni Health Center, Sisters Hospitallers centre in Monrovia, has reopened its doors for admissions, home visits, family meetings, follow-up and trial parole. It has been a big improvement after months of lockdown, because of COVID-19, in Liberia.
Read more about Admitting patients again
Sisters Hospitalers care home in Shenstone has been fortunate enough to host an Abba musical. Our residents’ faces lit up, with beaming smiles all around. Footherley Hall was elated!
Read more about FABBAlous Afternoon