It could be you ...

It could be you, a relative, or a friend who one day finds themselves living in a care home.

At our next Community Café, we’re pleased to welcome Angela Sayer, manager of Greenacres Care Home, along with her deputy. Angela is dedicated to helping residents enjoy a good quality of life—physically, emotionally, and socially. She works hard to keep people connected to the wider community and cares deeply about their wellbeing. Do come along to hear her speak—you may find it both reassuring and inspiring.

As we grow older, life can bring both challenges and opportunities. While later life can involve increasing frailty, it can also be a time of reflection, wisdom, and meaningful connection. It’s important that older people are treated with dignity, respect, and care, and that they continue to feel valued and included.

With this in mind, a small team from Emmanuel regularly visits local care homes. We spend time with residents, offering friendly conversation, music, and short, gentle gatherings for those who would like to take part.

We currently visit six homes in the local area—some twice a month and others once—making around nine visits each month.

We are always mindful that we are entering people’s homes. We visit only at the invitation of the care home managers, and residents are free to join us or not, as they choose. Sometimes a member of staff helps introduce us and support the time we spend together.

When we first began, some residents were understandably unsure about us. But over time, many have become more comfortable, often greeting us warmly and thanking us as we leave. New faces can still take a little getting used to, which is only natural—trust builds gradually, especially when so much in life has changed.

So why do we go? Quite simply, to spend time with people, to listen, and to offer companionship and encouragement. For those who are interested, we also share something of the hope and comfort that faith can bring, especially in later life. We next meet in church on Saturday 11th April at 10.30am. Why not come along and find out more?