It’s not every day that a local institution celebrates four decades of service, but Castle Grove Care Home in Bampton has done just that. What began as an ambitious project by a couple with a vision has grown into a cornerstone of the community, touching countless lives along the way. The recent celebration of its 40th anniversary was not just a milestone but a testament to the care, commitment, and continuity that have defined Castle Grove since its inception.
Isabelle Kenny, the owner of Castle Grove Care Home, reflects on the origins of the home with both fondness and a sense of accomplishment. "My husband and I decided we'd like to work together. He had been a chef at the Dorchester, then went to Cardiff University but he wanted to do something practical," Isabelle recalls.
"We had two little children so a restaurant wasn't a good idea, and we thought we'd run a hotel with nurses." This was the seed from which Castle Grove would grow, though the idea of a “hotel with nurses” eventually evolved into a full-fledged care home. "It was based very much on the food.
That’s carried on as we always have a chef, and food is really important. When your life is shrunk and you're not doing as many things, food becomes even more significant," she adds. The early days were anything but easy.
Isabelle admits, "I think the first people who brought us a resident must have been very brave because we were very green, and we were just making it up as we went along really. It wasn't a.