At Ivybank House Care Home, history wasn’t left in the past. This year’s VE Day celebration saw residents whisked away to 1945 with an atmospheric blend of gigs, gastronomy, and genuine nostalgia that had everyone reminiscing about the trials and triumphs of wartime Britain.
The home’s VE Day Celebration Buffet was far from ordinary, offering a taste of the 1940s with traditional dishes that evoked memories of a bygone era. Lively tunes from the likes of Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, and the Andrews Sisters filled the air, prompting an afternoon of singing and dancing—a reminder that good music truly is timeless.
A particularly moving highlight came from Ivybank House’s residents who were children during the original VE Day. Among them, tales of past hardships surfaced, stirring both tears and smiles. One resident vividly recalled the panic of a Blitz attack in Bath when they were just a child, while another remembered the surreal routine of trudging to school with a gas mask in hand—a memory so intense that to this day, she shies away from anything worn on her face.
But the celebration wasn’t just about remembering the past. The care home also staged a ‘Time for a Cuppa’ fundraising event, successfully gathering £250 for Dementia UK. The event reached a symbolic moment when Councillor Alison Born, Cabinet Member for Adult Services and Public Health for Widcombe and Lyncombe, planted a magnolia tree in the home’s garden—an enduring symbol of resilience and community spirit.
Andrew Pow, the home manager at Ivybank House, summed it all up perfectly: “Our VE Day celebrations were a wonderful opportunity to honor the incredible generation who lived through the war years. Seeing our residents share their memories with such pride and joy was truly moving. Events like these are vital in preserving important historical moments while creating new meaningful experiences for our residents today.”
Ivybank House, a vibrant 43-bed care facility in Bath that offers an array of services from dementia care to respite and day services, continues to prove that quality care goes hand in hand with preserving the legacy of the past. With a stellar 9.9/10 rating on carehome.co.uk, this historic haven is no stranger to celebrating life’s milestones—whether they lie in the present or the storied annals of history.
In a world that often rushes ahead, Ivybank House’s VE Day celebration reminded us that some of our most cherished memories are anchored in the past, ready to be shared afresh with every melody and every bite of a nostalgic treat.