Business Forum

Ashridge Home Care awarded for its Innovation in Care during the Pandemic by Care Industry Experts

November saw Care Heroes Awards Week and Ashridge Home Care win a prestigious title to mark its efforts during the past year. The 4 year old home care company, which arranges either live-in or visiting carers to attend clients across the South East of England, was crowned winner in the Innovation in Care category. This award celebrates those companies that have thought outside the box to bring joy and comfort to those they care for.

Judges said Ashridge Home Care won for their willingness and total commitment to their staff and customers and their unwavering dedication to continue to deliver 24 hour care to their entire client base.

Trudi Scrivener, Managing Director of Ashridge Home Care said: “Winning this prestigious Home Care Heroes (Innovation) 2020 Award makes me immensely proud. These awards mark the success of the whole team, who show absolute dedication and commitment to providing outstanding home care. The team were 100% committed to ensuring that carers were looked after and motivated so they in turn could ensure our clients were happy and safe. The ideas and outside the box thinking was truly inspiring and we will continue many practices even once this pandemic is over. To be recognised by an award is such great news amidst a tough time for everyone working in frontline services. Our focus now is to continue to support as many people as possible who want to remain in their own homes.”

Innovation has always been rewarded and encouraged at Ashridge. Prior to Covid 19 a carer who was a great chef was promoted to head chef and helped mentor other carers whose skills were lacking in the kitchen to learn how to cook simple meals for their clients. This resulted in a recipe book which is shared amongst carers and during lockdown Trudi secured help from TV nutritionist Janet Brinkworth from TV’s Saturday Morning Kitchen. Together they launched Ashridgelicious Food Lovers group for the live-in carers to learn new easy, nutritious meals to cook for their clients as well as featuring an online Q&A option so if a carer couldn’t access ingredients she suggested good alternatives. The group shared photos of food and were encouraged to make mealtimes special. One carer tried the Pizza Express dough recipe and made passata from scratch for a lovely home cooked Italian meal. Whilst another recreated a favourite restaurant setting with their client.

The whole head office team was innovative and took part in sourcing other professional help from within the community – they arranged for various health practitioners to share videos enabling carers to help their clients, one from a footcare practitioner to teach carers basic footcare to help clients who couldn’t attend appointments. A visiting carer also runs a successful yoga business ‘Zest Yoga’ and she developed a 10 minute yoga routine that carers could do with clients to keep them moving and increase their circulation. Trudi even managed to source a celebrity - Frontman of Spandau Ballet, Tony Hadley, to share a morale boosting message. Currently an online book group for clients and carers is in development.

Ashridge Home Care employs more than 80 visiting and live-in carers and works with clients across the South East England from its base in Amersham, Buckinghamshire.

To find out more about Ashridge Home Care visit www.ashridgehomecare.co.uk or for an informal chat about how a visiting or a live-in carer might benefit someone in your family telephone 01494 917344.

Kings Farm Shop

Kings Farm Shop is always improving the customer offer and the customer experience. Dry aged beef has become a speciality so in late November they installed an even bigger fridge (3 metres wide) to give an even greater supply.

Now that Kings Farm Shop, https:// kingsfarmshop.co.uk/, has more capacity for dry aged beef, they can offer a wider range of mostly on-bone sirloin and on-bone rib of beef. You can also choose from the leaner continental breeds like Simmental Cross or Limousin or stay with the traditional British Hereford or Aberdeen Angus breeds. The process dries out excess water do the meat is tastier because the flavour is more concentrated. If you have a special occasion coming up, please make sure you order in advance to avoid disappointment.

Budgens Eat Well/ Feel Well

Eat Well/Feel Well chiller cabinet in Budgens

Debbie and her team at Budgens would like to thank everyone who has taken on board the Eat Well/Feel Well initiative described on page 4 of the November print edition of Wendover News. So far the food has generated lots of enthusiasm. Between Christmas and New Year they will be providing all your favourites including fresh salads to share with family. Please let Budgens know of any favourite foods not yet included on the menu. No promises, but the team is happy to extend the range if possible. We look forward to helping you to start a delicious nutritious 2021!

All change on the High Street

There will be a flurry of refurbishment happening at the top of the High Street in January as Ivan Cammack opticians moves next door to larger premises. In its place at no23, the Wendover branch of community friendly J Brown Funeral Services Ltd will be opening in February, to learn more go to http://jbrownfuneralservices.co.uk/ and like on Facebook @jbrownfuneralwendover.