Royal Voluntary Service, Cornhill Centre, Banbury.

14/11/2025

We would have been ok if we were all ducks!! So we swam into the centre today and Kate and her team laid on a magnificent spread of roast chicken with all the trimmings followed by cholotale brownie with chocolate ice cream ( a real chocolate feast). The bing was such a hit last week we had another session today and lots of games.

07/11/2025

All change at the Friday Club this week. New format including bingo and lost of new games. Lovely Chicken and Mushroom casserole with mash and sautéed Sprouts topped off with delisious apple strudle and ice cream

07/11/2025

Kermit’s brother has lost his family can anyone help please! He was left in the Cornhill Centre on the 11th October at the parkinson’s get together

31/10/2025

A Very Spooky Friday club

An amazing horror quiz to start the day off. Then live music from the amazing Rob, lunch where we served up delicious Fish and Chips followed by a homemade Banoffee pie for pudding followed by table team games and coffee. Whats more we have three new members joining us soon

20/10/2025

To get ready for Christmas with elderly parents

Start with having an open conversation about their expectations, and focus on comfort, safety, and shared activities that are accessible. This includes adapting holiday preparations like decorating, helping with shopping, and planning activities like watching movies or cooking together to accommodate their abilities and interests. Be patient, flexible, and ready to create a comfortable, safe environment while cherishing the time together.
Plan ahead with your parents

Discuss expectations:
Talk to your parents about what they want for the holidays, where they would prefer to celebrate, and what they are hoping for.

Assess the home:
Ensure their home is safe warm and comfortable, especially if you are celebrating there. This includes checking for accessibility issues like stairs or a lack of a walk-in shower.
Understand that their health or energy levels may change, and be prepared to adjust plans accordingly. Adapt holiday traditions

Decorating:
Involve them in decorating to their ability. This could be as simple as sitting by the tree and reminiscing, or you can help them with tasks like placing ornaments or making a smaller, tabletop decoration.
Shopping and cards: Offer to help with Christmas shopping, either in-person or online. You can also assist with writing and sending cards, which can be difficult for those with vision or hand-steadiness issues, suggests Call-In Homecare.

Cooking:
Cook the Christmas feast together, tailoring the meal to their preferences.
Start a new tradition: Suggest a new, low-key tradition, or revisit old ones to create shared memories.
Share stories and movies: Watch their favourite holiday movies and ask them to share stories about why they love them.

Stay connected:
If they have a friend or neighbour who may be alone, consider inviting them to join the celebration to help prevent loneliness, notes Helping Hands Home Care.

Going out:
Go to see holiday lights or attend a local event like a carol service together, with help for transportation.
Comfort and safety: Consider practical gifts like a heated throw, an electric blanket, a personal alarm system, or motion-activated lights, as recommended by Taking Care Personal Alarms and Alina Homecare.
Helpful gadgets: Other thoughtful ideas include a Wi-Fi digital photo frame, an automatic jar opener, or a single-serve coffee maker, according to Great Senior Living.

10/10/2025

What a day we had today! The club was in full swing, we had may games including some very funny charades with a couple of our lovely volenteers acting out the clues. Then we had pulled pork with rice and our garden picked pears with caramel in a sweet pastry tart and custard. Here’s some great photo’s of our lovely club members

03/10/2025

Slow cooked meats bring so much taste out of the meat and make great casseroles. We had slow cooked lamb today that was loved by everyone. You can’t beat a classic can you! To top it off we had a lovely limoncello sponge pudding. Do you know someone who needs so company? Why don’t you suggest they contact the friday club?

26/09/2025

Here is some help if you are looking after an elderly relative. It’s so important they have good wholesome food at least once a day.
Cooking for one when you're older involves meal planning, batch cooking, and smart grocery shopping to avoid waste and ensure nutrition, while also focusing on simple, nutritious meals that are easy to prepare. Tips include batch cooking and freezing individual portions, utilizing frozen or pre-cut vegetables, making small batches every few days, shopping more frequently for fresh ingredients, and focusing on nutrient-dense, easy-to-digest foods like soft fruits, lean proteins, and whole grains.
Meal Planning & Shopping
Plan your meals: Create a meal plan for a few weeks at a time to reduce food waste and ensure you only buy what you need.
Shop smart: Go to the grocery store more often to purchase smaller quantities of fresh ingredients, or freeze smaller portions of items you bought in bulk.
Utilize frozen and pre-cut ingredients: Buy frozen fruits and vegetables, which last longer and are often pre-cut, to make cooking simpler and reduce waste.
Cooking Techniques & Meal Ideas
Batch cook and freeze: Designate a few days to cook larger batches of healthy entrees and freeze them in individual portions for easy reheating.
Prepare small portions: Make only what you will eat and refrigerate or freeze leftovers promptly.
Focus on soft foods: If chewing is difficult, choose foods like applesauce, mashed bananas, smoothies, and baked pears or peaches, which are easier to digest.
Simple meal ideas:
Breakfast: Porridge with fruit, scrambled eggs on wholegrain toast, or Greek yogurt with honey and granola.
Lunch/Dinner: Lentil soup, chicken or tuna salad on wholegrain bread, baked fish with vegetables, or a stir-fry with tofu.
Soft foods: Smoothies with added protein powder or mashed avocado are excellent options.
Health & Nutrition Considerations
Nutrient-dense foods: Focus on a variety of nutritious foods, including plenty of vegetables, fruit, whole grains, and lean protein.
Calcium and Vitamin D: Include foods high in calcium to support bone health, such as dairy or fortified plant milks.
Hydration: Drink adequate amounts of water and other fluids to stay hydrated.
Limit processed foods: Opt for low-salt and low-saturated-fat options, and use added sugars in moderation.
Consider delivery services: If cooking becomes too difficult, look into meal delivery services, such as Meals on Wheels.

20/09/2025

RVS has so much to offer that people are just not aware of. This is a fantastic online product that can help people stay well and healthy.

The Virtual Village Hall is a FREE online activity hub and community helping people stay physically and mentally active, connected and having fun.

20/09/2025

There is nothing worse than cooking for one! This is why we make sure at the Cornhill Centre that we cook good wholesome food that our visitor choose and love. We should always try and make sure as we age that we make sure we eat as well as we can.

This is why.

Nutritional meals are essential for the elderly to maintain their physical health, such as strong bones, muscles, and immune systems, and to prevent and manage chronic diseases like heart disease and diabetes. Good nutrition also supports mental well-being and helps with healing from illness and injury. As aging bodies have different and often reduced abilities to absorb nutrients, a nutrient-dense diet of fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains is crucial to compensate for these changes and maintain overall health and a good quality of life.

How Nutritional Meals Benefit the Elderly
• Stronger Bones and Muscles:
Proper nutrients help maintain muscle mass and bone density, which is crucial for mobility and preventing falls and fractures.
• Robust Immune System:
A balanced diet, rich in fruits and vegetables, strengthens the immune system, making older adults less susceptible to infections and illnesses.
• Faster Healing and Recovery:
Adequate nutrition helps older adults heal more quickly from injuries and recover better from illnesses.
• Disease Prevention and Management:
Nutrient-rich foods can help control weight and prevent or manage chronic conditions such as heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers.
• Improved Mental and Emotional Health:
A good diet not only boosts physical well-being but also contributes to a better mood and overall sense of mental health.
• Healthy Digestive System:
Fiber-rich foods are essential for maintaining a healthy digestive system, helping to prevent issues like constipation.
Changes in Nutritional Needs with Age
• Decreased Appetite and Absorption:
Reduced stomach acid and lower production of digestive enzymes can decrease the body's ability to absorb nutrients, making nutrient-dense foods more important.
• Altered Calorie and Nutrient Needs:
Older adults may require fewer calories but more of certain nutrients, such as protein, to stay healthy.
• Increased Risk of Malnutrition:
Factors like loss of appetite, difficulty chewing or swallowing, and reduced thirst can increase the risk of malnutrition and dehydration.
• Reduced Muscle Mass:
As we age, muscle mass naturally decreases, but adequate protein intake can help to maintain muscle strength and function.

19/09/2025

The Friday Club has been donated a beautiful 10Kg bag of basmati rice. So we just had to make pan fried Chicken in a mushroom sauce with some of this beautiful rice. We had to do a homemade pudding using some of the amazing fruits from our volenteers own trees so we made stewed pears with sultans all it needed was some lovely ice cream to finish it off.

11/09/2025

Just made a goulash soup for the friday club. Beautiful, slow cooked beef, veg and a delicate amount of sweet Hungarian paprika, ready to serve up with lots of freshly baked breads