Gibraltar Nursing Home of Monmouth, Wales welcomed the start of 2026 with a memorable New Year’s Day celebration held in its own Pillars Restaurant.

The room was bustling as family members (the home’s fond term for residents) came together to enjoy glasses of bubbly, an array of cakes and sweet treats, and games including bingo and pass the parcel.

An elderly lady and another lady dance beside a table that is laid with a cake stand full of cakes. New Year's decorations hang from the ceiling.

Florence, 89 years young, enjoyed dancing to music on the day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cake stands filled every table, offering a variety of treats and party food to suit different dietary needs. A drinks trolley was set up as a bar for the afternoon, stocked with wine, lager, and a choice of zero percent options and soft drinks, with home manager Verity stepping into the role of bar lady. The celebration began with some good old-fashioned songs playing in the background as everyone arrived and settled in.

 

Close-up of hands playing bingo at a New Year’s celebration, with gold-decorated plates, cakes and party decorations on the table.

Bingo was a highlight of the day, with lots of prizes won.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For those who chose to take part, bingo quickly filled the room with excitement as numbers were called out and many prizes were won. The fun continued with pass the parcel, as team members and family members formed a wide circle around the restaurant, cheering one another on as parcels were passed and unwrapped. One family member, Florence, 89 years young, added her own flair to the game by dancing whenever it was her turn to hold the parcel.

The New Year’s Day celebration followed a very special Christmas Day, when the home opened the doors of the Pillars Restaurant to welcome loved ones joining their family members for Christmas lunch. The kitchen team was kept busy throughout the day, serving Christmas dinner to a total of 153 people.

Home manager Verity Walmsley shared, ‘It was really great seeing so many family members getting involved, smiling, and enjoying the afternoon together. It felt like the perfect way to start the year.’

 

A group of people raise glasses together in a toast during a New Year’s celebration inside a care home.

The team marked the New Year together with a shared toast.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After a lively celebration, family members returned to their households, ending the day with tea and a homemade scone with clotted cream and jam.