Rose Cottage residents’ newsletter: see what they got up to in July
Sandra Kubiliene, Service Manager, Rose Cottage
Every month, my team and I put together a newsletter working with the people we support. I wanted to share July's with you, because I think it says more about what we actually do here than any job description ever could.
The newsletter is written by our residents. Each edition opens with a set of monthly picks chosen by the people who live here: a word of the month, a song, a sport, a flower, even a bit of history. This July, the word was "joyful," the song was Pharrell's "Happy," and the sport was tennis. They're small things on the surface, but they matter to us.
Then comes the part I love most: a catch-up on how everyone's been getting on, because independent living is built from dozens of ordinary days like these.
Seb took a trip to the local fire station, met the crew, then rolled up his sleeves and made his own dinner (a jarred curry, and he's been told by all of us he can do better 😂).
Keith spent the month soaking up the sun in the shade, being smart about it, with regular visits to a cafe he's rather fond of.
Donna picked flowers, baked more cakes than anyone could count, and set off a balloon for her foster mum's birthday.
Nick found the heat a bit much but stayed cool with a haircut and some quality time with his favourite films.
Andy went to the cinema, admired the neighbour's flowers, and became something of a regular at that same cosy cafe.
And then there's Donna's birthday. She'd wished for a trip to Buckingham Palace, and we made it happen. Donna, Linda and Louzia set off for London together, explored every corner of the Palace, picked up a book so she could relive it later, and rounded the day off with spaghetti bolognese. Donna called it "an amazing girly day out." I don't think I'll stop smiling about that one for a while.
This is what support looks like, day to day. They’re not grand gestures, but noticing what matters to someone and then making it happen: a favourite song on rotation, a birthday wish, the confidence to cook your own dinner even if it does come from a jar.
It takes a huge amount of care, patience and organisation from my team to make an ordinary month feel this full, and I'm proud of every one of them for doing it without any fuss.
If you'd like to see July in full, photos and all, take a look below. And to everyone at Rose Cottage who shared their month with us, thank you; it's a privilege to get to tell your stories.
