The Peterborough Evening Telegraph

Care home brings a whole world of magic to its residents

- By Paul Grinnell paul.grinnell@jpimedia.co.uk Twitter: @PTPaulGrin­nell

Hampton Grove Care Home has recently brought a bit of magic to residents.

The home in Chaffinch Lane has provided a new “Magic Table 360 and the Happiness Programme” as a way to improve residents’ quality of life.

Designed and manufactur­ed in the UK, the Magic Table 360 uses interactiv­e games to connect residents with staff and with each other, and research shows it improves the wellbeing of people living with dementia.

Using interactiv­e light projection­s, the Magic Table 360, which can be played independen­tly or in a group, stimulates movement by inviting participan­ts to take part in all sorts of different fun activities such as popping bubbles, playing the piano, colouring in pictures, sweeping leaves or interactin­g playfully with fish.

Games are rich in colour, movement and detail, and allow people of all ages to play in a safe and comfortabl­e environmen­t. The Magic Table 360 is portable so it can be used wherever residents feel most comfortabl­e, it can be projected onto the floor, ceiling, walls, a whiteboard or even the bed.

The Happiness Programme

allows for a range of games that change seasonally and have country-specific versions covering 14 different categories, so there will always be something new for residents to try.

Nicole Aylward, general manager of the home, said:

“We’re excited to bring a touch of magic to the residents at our home, the Magic Table 360 will make a big difference by helping to connect residents with staff and with each other, and it’s great fun for the young at heart.”

Dr Pete Calveley, CEO of

Barchester Healthcare, added: “We are delighted by the initial response of the residents.

“Designed to create moments of happiness for the residents, it is heart-warming to provide positive and invaluable experience­s, with residents more motivated to interact with staff, family and carers alike.Our varied life enrichment programme keeps residents active, and provides a daily choice of engaging physical, mental and spiritual activities tailored to residents’ interests and abilities.”

A love of creative writing and memories of having poetry read to her as a child by her grandad Chris have inspired Whittlesey student Lauren Vinn to pen her first short story.

With only her mum and a select few friends and teachers among those who have read her gripping novel ‘He Was The Sun’, Lauren is now looking to print and publish her book for a wider audience.

It tells the tale of a boy who learns to view life through an extraordin­ary lens from a girl who desires ‘normal’.

The story explores themes of love, friendship and grief whilst following the journey of a girl and boy meeting weeks before their 18th birthday, which is made more important by supernatur­al legacies and a decision that could change their lives.

And while Lauren, who is currently in Sixth Form at Sir Harry Smith Community College in Whittlesey, has written the words, her creative younger brother Jamie has provided the cover illustrati­ons.

English A-level student Lauren (18) said: “I started writing the story at the start of the first lockown and took me around four months. I had so much time on my hands and I wanted to be productive with it – sometimes it’s difficult to start a piece of writing so this felt like an ideal opportunit­y to do so because it didn’t interfere with schoolwork.”

“There are reoccurren­ces through the story such as sunsets which I was inspired to include within it – me and my dad love a sunset, so this was a big motivating factor.”

As well as this story, Lauren’s love of literature and writing has also included writing poetry; a poem for

a family member’s wedding and a piece about Covid-19 which she shared on social media.

Lauren added: “I loved creative writing from as early as primary school – it was always my favourite thing to do in school.

“I carried this on into secondary school and I knew I really loved it when I enjoyed the English language GCSE paper!”

Having confirmed a place at University to study an English and Writing course, Lauren says she wants to overcome her confidence issues with sharing her work, but with a good response so far aspires to take her talent further than just her computer.

“I have a lot of plans for future books/creative pieces and I want to explore other genres and story lines which I am very excited about.

“I hope to be involved in the creative writing world beyond university – writing and publishing is what I hope to do as a career.”

While funding her own printing and publishing of a small number of copies of ‘He Was The Sun’, Lauren says she would love to be able to offer her book to a wider audience.

If anyone can help, • please contact her at: laurenmvin­n@outlook.com

A manufactur­er in Peterborou­gh has changed its production processs and put itself at the centre of the UK’s vaccinatio­n rollout.

XL Displays, in Manasty Road, Orton Southgate, is making vaccinatio­n booths for the NHS, medical clinics, care homes and pharmacies across the country after refocusing its operations when lockdown restrictio­ns brought its traditonal events and exhibtions market to a standstill.

Chief executive Joanne Bass said: “Our shell-scheme exhibition systems have been adapted for use as vaccinatio­n booths and screening.

“We are proud to have supplied vaccinatio­n solutions to the NHS, medical clinics, care homes and pharmacies.

“The UK vaccinatio­n programme requires quick to deploy screens that can be easily sanitised and we are seeing that the larger centres are now operationa­l but smaller pharmacy chains and clinics are now joining the vaccine rollout.”

The move to vaccinatio­n booth production is part of a bigger move at XL Displays that began soon after the first lockdown as it received huge demand from businesses of all types for Perspex sneeze screens and barrier screens to protect staff and customers.

And as vast numbers of people began working at home and communicat­ing through Zoom meetings, XL Displays also faced a growth in demand for its printed backdrops and banners.

Joanne said: “I have never been in the position where it seemed every business in the UK wants the same products at the same time. The demand for Perspex screens was a huge challenge to meet and exceed expectatio­ns.”

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 ??  ?? He Was The Sun, written by Whittlesey teenager Lauren Vinn (right)
He Was The Sun, written by Whittlesey teenager Lauren Vinn (right)
 ??  ?? Some of the vaccinatio­n booths made by XL Displays
Some of the vaccinatio­n booths made by XL Displays
 ??  ?? Joanne Bass, chief executive of XL Displays
Joanne Bass, chief executive of XL Displays

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