When the excitement and festivities of Christmas are over, the January blues can creep in. To help combat these feelings, which can be particularly prevalent in older people, the Trust is once again running its Beat the January Blues campaign.

As part of this initiative a whole host of meaningful and engaging activities are being held throughout the month to help encourage social interaction and companionship amongst residents, employees and the local community.

Here’s a taster of some of the Beat the January Blues events coming up:

• Residents from Trust homes across Oxfordshire will be getting together on Wednesday 29th January at an accessible disco hosted at Isis House in Oxford featuring guest DJs Trev and Rich from Jack FM’s breakfast show.
• Goodson Lodge in Trowbridge is hosting a fashion show, in partnership with Sainsbury’s, on Thursday 23rd January at 7pm to help residents enjoy some new year retail therapy. The home is also holding a talk about the healing power of honey on Saturday 18th January at 2pm and a whisky and cheese tasting evening on Friday 24th January.
• Athelstan House in Malmesbury is holding therapy sessions every afternoon from 2-4pm from Monday 27th to Friday 31st January featuring meditation, manicures and a performance by a Blues singer.
• Pamper days, quizzes, singing events and a pet therapy session all feature as part of the Beat the Blues campaign at Chestnut Court at Quedgeley. 
• Avonbourne Care Centre near Salisbury is running weekly Wow Wednesdays with a live entertainer performing at its music and movement sessions and is also holding flower arranging lessons.
• St Wilfrids Priory Care Home in Arundel has arranged tea tasting sessions in which residents can sample and choose teas from around the world to select their favourites for their afternoon tea. Residents have also been encouraged to use the new home vehicle to get out and about and have started a list of places they would like to visit.
• Larkrise Care Centre in Banbury is holding a week of events from Monday 27th to Friday 31st January designed to lift the mood and stimulate the senses. Providing beneficial sensory therapy to those living with dementia, activities will include perfume mixing, chocolate tasting and a visit from some squirrel monkeys.
• Lake House, also in Banbury, and Grace Care Centre in Thornbury, will both be granting new year’s wishes to some of their residents as part of their Beat the Blues programme.
• The Coombs in Coleford is trialling a new interactive magic table and welcoming new furry friends at its first pet therapy session as well as hosting armchair aerobics sessions, quizzes and singing events.
• Grevill House in Cheltenham is organising an outing to Cheltenham racecourse as well as running weekly yoga sessions and music and movement classes including its first intergenerational music session with Caterpillar Music.
• Spencer Court in Woodstock is running a week of movement and fitness classes as part of its New Year New You initiative.

Many of these activities are open to members of the local community. To find out what’s on at your local home coming up please contact them – you can find out phone numbers for all our homes here.