Birchwood Court is a residential care home in the close-knit mining village of Easington Colliery, next door to Sanctuary Care’s Ashwood Park home. There is a large shared area at the front of the buildings which is the perfect place for residents to socialise and enjoy events like our joint summer fete, which is always well attended by local people in Peterlee.

The team here have created some really special rooms at Birchwood Court, which our residents love to spend time in, as well as getting out and about across Durham in the home’s minibus.

The vintage Corner Café is a step back in time, with pretty tablecloths, bunting, fine china tea sets, tiered cake stands and homemade sweet treats. Our staff take the orders at the table and if family or friends are visiting it is the perfect place for our residents to take them out, instead of the other way round. It is a special place, particularly for our residents who live with dementia because it triggers happy memories of visiting tea shops with friends in their younger days.

The café is also an intimate space that our residents use for small family occasions like birthdays and wedding anniversaries, with our staff ready to make it the perfect celebration. Sometimes holding celebrations in this room is actually more relaxing than going out.

In the bright and airy dining room, the staff and residents love to sit together as a big family and enjoy home-cooked meals, which are freshly prepared each day by the home’s chef.

Our latest cinema and games room additions

The new cinema room has been a huge hit with our residents, who as well as watching the old classics, are very fond of more modern films like Mama Mia. When this is on verses of Abba songs can be heard through Birchwood Court. There is also a popcorn machine with old fashioned cardboard cartons. Our residents are presented with cinema tickets showing the day’s movie. They hand these in as they enter, as they would have done at their local cinema before moving into residential care. Again it is a lovely way to go back to the good old days, especially for our residents living with dementia.

The new games room at Birchwood Court is a real social hub, with games machines, a pool table, jukebox, board and card games and even giant skittles.

Engaging in local life

The variety of activities on offer in our care home really helps it to thrive. In Peterlee, the local village hall hosts tea dances which some of our residents love to go to using the home’s minibus. There are also lovely community gatherings at the nearby church which our residents are invited to, meeting with people from the local community over a game of bingo and a buffet.

Children from the local primary school and toddlers often pop into Birchwood Court to join in with activities. The favour is often returned with residents invited to take a front seat at special performances and celebrations.

Pricing information

It is usual for residents in care homes to contribute to the cost of their own care. Some people have the resources to pay for their care in full, whilst others make means-tested contributions. Our weekly fees are individual to each of our residents and are subject to a pre-admission assessment, which is required to truly understand the level of care and support needed.

Our 2022 weekly care fees for residential care start from £852, but maybe in the region of 20% more*, dependent on your care needs and the type of bedroom that is right for you, from our standard rooms to our premium bedroom options.

*If you require more specialist care such as 1-2-1 support, your weekly fee could be higher.