A wee dram of culture: Burns Night at Jubilee House
In the colder months, poetry, music and dance are needed more than ever to warm us up – giving one luxury care home in Warwickshire the perfect excuse to host a Burns Night celebration this January.
Residents at Jubilee House, part of Berkley Care Group, enjoyed a day steeped in culture and tradition, as the home celebrated both the UK’s literary heritage and Scotland’s national poet, Robert Burns.
Kicking off the afternoon was a Burns Night lunch – a Scottish feast served to residents. The highlight of the feast was the Haggis, which was carried into the bistro by Head Chef Oliver before being placed before Peter Irvine, the event’s guest of honour.
Peter – a Warwick local – delivered the ‘Address to a Haggis’, which he knew by heart. And, following the address, Irvine completed the ‘stabbing of the haggis’ with a traditional dagger, much to everyone’s delight.
Accompanying the haggis were neeps and tatties, a raspberry cranachan and homemade shortbread, alongside a ‘wee dram’ of whisky to wash it all down at the end.
Residents gathered together at their tables to enjoy the delicious food and reminisce over holidays to Scotland, past Burns Night celebrations, and attending the occasional cèilidh.
After the lunch was an engaging talk from the Leamington Literary Society, presented by society members Trevor, Nigel, and Annabel. The topic of the talk was ‘Literary Leamington’, exploring the plethora of famous authors who have visited the town, including Charles Dickens, J.K. Rowling, and John Betjeman.
Jubilee House’s residents were fascinated by the talk, particularly those local to the area. Complementing the talk was a lively Q&A session, in which residents picked the society member’s brains and shared their own memories of Leamington.
Commenting on the day’s events, Lydia Orsmond, Events Manager at Jubilee House said: "It was delightful to see our residents so engaged with both the Literary Society talk and our Burns Night, or rather Afternoon, celebrations. The day was full of stories and laughter, between residents and with our guests, it perfectly highlighted the sense of community we foster at Jubilee House."