Banbury care home residents team up with local children to bring back favourite recipes

A poll of 2,000 adults carried out by Care UK, which operates Highmarket House on North Bar Place and Seccombe Court on Gardener Way, found almost two-thirds (65 per cent) of the nation no longer use family recipes that have been handed down through the generations, however, 43 per cent of people surveyed are keen to save them.

In a bid to prevent family recipes passed down through generations from being lost forever, Care UK has launched a free downloadable recipe book – Recipes to Remember, which features recipes shared by care home residents across the UK. From food enjoyed during World War Two to quirky desserts from the 1970s, the book includes residents’ favourite foods, alongside recipes tailored to support older people by Care UK’s award-winning chefs.

Keen to keep their recipes bubbling away in Banbury for many years to come, residents from both Highmarket House and Seccombe Court have rolled up their sleeves and donned their aprons, to show just how tasty their food favourites from the past are.

Residents at Highmarket House welcomed team members and residents’ grandchildren and great-grandchildren for an afternoon of fun, baking nest cakes.

Over at Seccombe Court, team members and residents' family members were also invited along to the home for a special baking session, where they made chocolate nests and decorated biscuits.

Everyone enjoyed reminiscing and residents shared their favourite foods from when they were younger and how they differ from some of the children's current favourite foods.

92-year-old Kathleen Robbins, a resident at Highmarket House, said: “It was lovely to see the children and bake with them – it reminded me of baking with my own children when they were small.

“I think more chocolate decorations were eaten during the baking rather than being put on the cakes but everyone enjoyed themselves, and that’s what matters!”

Joan a resident at Seccombe Court said: “The children were excellent; it was lovely all enjoying themselves so much. They all went about their roles brilliantly. It’s so important to hand down family favourite recipes.”

Francesca Cowley, Home Manager at Highmarket House, said: “We’ve certainly been whipping up some treats at our homes as we headed to the kitchen to revisit residents’ food favourites from decades gone by with the help of some of our younger friends.

“It was fantastic to see all the youngsters for an afternoon spent cooking! Everyone had a great time talking about their favourite foods and tasting our wonderful cakes.”

Wojciech Kuczkowski, General Manager at Seccombe Court, added: “Regardless of age, food plays an important part in all of our lives, and there’s something special about the way the senses have the ability to evoke happy memories and emotions – which is why keeping old family recipes bubbling away and sharing them with younger generations is so important.”

To find out more about Care UK’s Recipes to Remember initiative or to download your copy of the recipe book, please visit: careuk.com/recipes-to-remember

To find out more about Highmarket House please contact Home Manager, Francesca Cowley, on 01295 297596 or email [email protected]

For further information on Seccombe Court please contact Home Admissions Advisor, Steve Dumbrill, on 01295 298795 or email [email protected]

Designed to enable residents to live active and fulfilled lives, while also promoting independence, Highmarket House and Seccombe Court incorporate space for hobby and leisure activities both indoors and out. The layout of both homes has been configured into individual suites, each having a dedicated lounge and dining room to help facilitate the creation of close-knit communities.