Today at Beddell House we had a visit from the Dignity Charity Organ.

Residents were treated to some beautiful music and shared memories of days gone by visiting fairgrounds.  Ice lollies were the order of the day and a good old sing along was enjoyed by all.  What a lovely afternoon we had! Check out our Facebook page for more information.

Compost is organic matter that has been decomposed.  Compost is high in nutrient content adding stability to soil, promoting healthy growth in seedlings and plants and will encourage bees and worms to visit your garden.

Making compost is simple.  Compost can be made from kitchen scraps, grass cuttings, wood chippings and even newspapers.  It is a safe chemical-free fertilizer using natural resources keeping down your carbon footprint.

So what are you waiting for?  Get on your gardening gloves – 29th May is National Learn About Composting Day!

Agreed, the bank holiday weather in the North East of England wasn’t what we had all hoped for, we were missing one vital ingredient, SUNSHINE!

But did you know, that even on the cloudiest of days, we can be subjected to the sun’s harmful rays UVA (aging) and UVB (burning)? Sunscreen containing an SPF should be applied everyday, regularly and we should wait at least 15 minutes after application before going out into the sunshine.

An easy and free sun protector is to use shade as often as possible and it can significantly reduce UV exposure, wear a wide brimmed hat angled downwards and make sure to re hydrate by regularly drinking water.

Be sure to inspect your moles to make sure they haven’t changed in size, shape or colour, and if in doubt consult your GP.

Stay safe!

We all love a Bank Holiday, but have you ever stopped to think “Why do we have bank holidays”?

Bank holidays were first introduced by banker, politician and scientific writer Sir John Lubbock, who drafted the Bank Holiday Act in 1871.  He added Easter Monday, Whit Monday, the first Monday in August and Boxing Day to the two common law holidays which already existed, Good Friday and Christmas Day.

Originally it was just banks and financial buildings that closed on these days, hence the term “bank holiday”, gradually, businesses, shops, schools and government workers began to adopt these holidays.

Spring bank holiday, the second in May, is also known as Whitsun or Pentecost.  Whitsun is thought to have come from the name “white Sunday” describing the robes worn after baptism and Pentecost, spelled the Greek way Pentekoste, means fiftieth. Pentecost is a festival celebrated by those of the Christian faith and marks the fiftieth day after Easter.

Many of us may think that we are not number’s people. But whether we like it or not, numbers play a big part in all our lives.

Today is National Numeracy Day and the aim is to celebrate numbers and how we use them in everyday life. The day is designed to encourage people to feel curious about numbers, explore how they can benefit them in their day to day life and give them the confidence to develop and improve their numeracy skills.

Why not start with an easy Sudoku, here’s one to try, and if you like it, why not challenge yourself to a daily Sudoku which you can find online just visit Sudoku.com.  You choose the level you want to play and can increase the levels as you improve.

Enjoy!