Nightingale Hammerson

11/11/2025

Delighted to share The Jewish Chronicle online coverage of Nightingale House and the filming of Beshert which is currently being screened at the UK Jewish Film Festival 2025. The film’s producers, Jason Solomon, Naomi Gryn and writer, Gary Enkin were this year’s winners for the Pears Short Film Fund. We so enjoyed hosting the cast and crew over the summer and are looking forward to welcoming the team back for our very own premiere and to show you our incredible refurbishment programme and beautiful transformation of Nightingale House.

Read full story: https://www.thejc.com/community/nightingale-brings-back-special-memories-for-film-producer-p6yv2k7x

11/11/2025

Today, we pause to remember and honour all those who served and sacrificed for our freedom.

At Nightingale Hammerson, our Residents, many of whom lived through times of great conflict, hold vivid memories of wartime courage, resilience and community spirit.

We remember them and all who gave their lives with gratitude.
🕯️ Lest we forget.

10/11/2025

Last week, Nightingale Hammerson was nominated as a finalist at the Big Syn International Film Festival, London Awards for our short fundraising film, ‘Home is where the heart is’: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YNdjCM4AWA. In a category with over 300 entries, Nightingale Hammerson was delighted to be a runner up with a special mention in the health and well-being sector.

The gala award ceremony celebrates the work of charities and filmmakers across the globe whilst promoting the work of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals commitment at the world's biggest sustainability film festival .

Thank you to our amazing Residents, team members and producers, Two Boys and Snelsky.

We were honoured to be part of this beautiful evening and congratulate everyone who took part.

07/11/2025

This , we extend our heartfelt thanks to our incredible board of trustees.

Their passion, guidance and unwavering commitment help us provide outstanding care for our Residents every single day at Nightingale House and Hammerson House, Wohl Campus.

This year, many of our trustees have also been deeply involved in the major refurbishment at Nightingale House, helping shape the next chapter of our charity’s story and ensuring our homes remain places of warmth, safety and high-quality care for generations to come.

“On behalf of everyone at Nightingale Hammerson, thank you for your leadership, dedication and belief in what we do.” - Jenny Pattinson, Chief Executive

07/11/2025

05/11/2025

Mary Van Gelder z’’l (1917–2025)
Nightingale Hammerson joins the family and friends of Mary Van Gelder z’’l in celebrating the extraordinary life of a remarkable woman who lived to the age of 108.

Mary was born in London on October 22nd 1917 and lived until a few days after her 108th birthday. As one of only 27 people in the UK at the remarkable age of 108, Mary was a beacon of light, an inspiration to everyone around her. Care teams, Residents and volunteers at Hammerson House all loved her. Mary enjoyed her time here, taking part in activities, playing scrabble with her fellow Residents on Edith Household and always greeting those around her with a beautiful smile.

Mary lived in Stoke Newington for most of her life and worked as a dressmaker in Hackney in her brother’s factory. She loved making dresses. Although she was very young, she still remembered the sound of bombs falling on the city during the First World War.

Mary attributed her extraordinary attitude to life to a sense of accepting life’s turbulent events with dignity and pragmatism.

“Living kept me going. You must keep living even when the going gets tough,” Mary acknowledged.

“The second world war was very hard for me and my family; it was 5 long hard years. I had a daughter, but she died tragically at the age of 62. After my daughter died, I had to keep going, I couldn’t let myself go to pieces.”

Mary was proud that she didn’t have to use hearing aids and didn’t wear glasses. Until her final weeks, she was still sitting in the lounge on the household, always with a smile on her face, always made up and always kind and sweet to everyone she met.

Mary arrived at Hammerson House in October 2023, two weeks before her 106th birthday.

“I realised it was too much for me to look after myself, so I decided to move to Hammerson House. I’m happy here, this is my home now. I can relax and I know I will be looked after. It’s very jolly here and I like the quizzes, I do really well in the quizzes,” Mary said.

Mary became the poster girl for Nightingale Hammerson, appearing in many of our adverts and promotions. She died peacefully surrounded by care teams and her family in the early hours of Sunday morning, October 26th. The day before, she received a card from His Majesty the King congratulating her achievement on reaching such an impressive age.

Mary leaves behind a lasting legacy of love, courage and positivity. She touched the hearts of all who knew her and she will be remembered with deep affection by everyone at Nightingale Hammerson.

04/11/2025

At Nightingale Hammerson, our occupational therapists make a remarkable difference every day helping Residents to rediscover meaning, purpose and participation in the activities most meaningful to them.

One Resident recently shared that due to reduced strength and movement in her hands, she lost her confidence in creating art, something that once brought her immense joy. Through a joint OT session, her therapist supported her to re-engage with painting, using gentle movement exercises and adaptive tools to make it possible again:
🧼 An anti-slip mat to keep materials steady
🖍️ A wider-grip brush for better control
🎨 A table easel to reduce wrist strain and improve visibility

This is the heart of occupational therapy, empowering people to do what matters most to them.
Thank you to our incredible OT team for the care, creativity and compassion you bring to every day.

30/10/2025

We’re thrilled to share that our Chief Executive, Jenny Pattinson, has been named as the third most influential Social Care leader in the UK by the Social Care Top 30 2025.

Since joining Nightingale Hammerson in July 2022, Jenny has been a bold and compassionate leader driving innovation, championing relationship-centred care and inspiring every member of our team to deliver the very best for our Residents.

Here’s what the judges had to say: “Jenny Pattinson, CEO of Nightingale Hammerson, is a bold and compassionate force in social care leadership. She’s shaping not just homes, but the future of care itself.”

Jenny shared: “It’s an honour to be recognised amongst such incredible leaders. I’m especially proud that Nightingale Hammerson is the highest placed organisation providing residential care for older people amongst this list of the best in Social Care. This recognition is a true testament to the dedication and excellence of our entire team.”

Congratulations, Jenny and team, we’re so proud of all you’ve achieved and all you continue to inspire! 👏

30/10/2025

💬 “We urgently need to end the invisibility of human rights violations in the social care system. There are practical, cost-effective and concrete steps that can make this possible.” – Professor Geraldine Van Bueren

We’re honoured to welcome Professor Geraldine Van Bueren, Emerita Professor at Queen Mary University of London, as a speaker at the Care Home Research Forum 2025.

Professor Van Bueren’s work highlights the urgent need to recognise and address human rights issues within the social care system. Her insights will explore how practical, evidence-based action can create fairer and more compassionate care environments for residents and staff alike.

📅 Thursday 6 November 2025
📍 Hammerson House, Wohl Campus, London

🔗 Register Today: https://nightingalehammerson.org/reach/research/chrf-2025/ -now-form

Join us as we discuss how research and policy can help protect human rights and strengthen care across the UK.

Nightingale Hammerson

29/10/2025

Nightingale Hammerson is building a future of care and community.

We’re delighted to share that redevelopment is well underway at Nightingale House with completion planned for April 2026.

Our fully renovated home will reflect the warmth and outstanding care we’re known for, offering five beautifully designed households, each tailored to different levels of care alongside welcoming communal spaces where life and community can truly flourish.

From synagogue visits and new guests at our dementia café, to neighbours enjoying our café, restaurant and concerts, we’re creating a vibrant hub where Residents and the wider community can connect, share and thrive together.

If you would like to find out more or arrange a visit, please contact our Residents Services Team at residentsservices@nightingalehammerson.org or visit nightingalehammerson.org/resident-enquiries

28/10/2025

In just a few weeks, our Austrian volunteers, Max, Julian and Adam, from Austrian Service Abroad have thrown themselves into every aspect of life here. Hosting a cheerful drinks party in Hammerson House, helping start our new fortnightly Sofa Suppers and bringing fun and energy to pottery sessions, group activities and outings to Wimbledon Synagogue and the Royal Academy of Arts.

They’ve also been busy organising birthday parties, running quizzes and games, providing computer support to Residents and canvassing support for our new Dementia Café in the neighbourhood.

Their kindness, warmth and good humour have quickly won over Residents and teams alike.

Most recently, the trio were honoured to celebrate Austrian National Day at the Austrian Ambassador’s residence, a wonderful way to mark the start of their volunteering journey here.

Austrian Embassy London

27/10/2025

Why research matters in care homes?
Across Europe, millions live in care homes and with an ageing population, that number is growing fast. Yet, despite the challenges of frailty, dementia, staffing shortages and funding pressures, social care research remains limited.

At Nightingale Hammerson, we’re changing that.
Over the past five years, we’ve taken part in 80+ research studies with universities across the UK and beyond from staff and Resident well-being to advanced medical research on cognitive impairment.

In 2021, we launched the Care Home Research Forum, now a global event connecting care providers, researchers, Residents and policymakers. Last year’s forum drew 200+ participants from 18 countries and this year’s (6th November) promises to be our biggest yet. If you would like to join us, please book tickets here: https://nightingalehammerson.org/reach/research/chrf-2025/

Research isn’t just academic, it’s transformative.

It shapes the future of social care and helps us deliver the best possible quality of life for our Residents.

🔗 Learn more: www.nightingalehammerson.org/reach/research

Reach by Nightingale Hammerson