We had no hesitation in placing Dad in Hickathrift's capable handsAnthony M(Son of Resident/Service User)
I cannot speak too highly of all the members of staff at Hickathrift.Jane B(Respite Resident/Service User)
We had no hesitation in placing Dad in Hickathrift's capable handsAnthony M(Son of Resident/Service User)
I cannot speak too highly of all the members of staff at Hickathrift.Jane B(Respite Resident/Service User)
Hickathrift House is a purpose-built Care Home set in the village of Marshland St James - situated between Wisbech and Kings Lynn. It is approximately 30 minutes from Sandringham, 40 minutes from Hunstanton and the home specialises in providing Residential Care, Dementia Care and Pre-bookable respite stays for older individuals.
Communities at Hickathrift House are smaller with a family feel so residents' feel safe and comfortable. Care is focused on independence,...
Care Provided by Barchester Hickathrift House
Primary Care Categories
- Older Person Care
- Dementia
Length of Stay
- Permanent Care
- Respite Care
Care Types Provided
- Residential Care
- Dementia Residential Care
- For a maximum of 54 Service Users
Dementia Care Types Mild Dementia
Someone living with our definition of "mild dementia" might experience some or all of the following:
- Memory problems such as misplacing items and not be able to recall recent events (however, in some forms of dementia a person's memory may be unchanged)
- Difficulties thinking through problems and planning, making decisions
- Language and communication issues such as finding it difficult to recall the appropriate word in a conversation or following a conversation
- Poor orientation, getting lost in areas previously familiar to them
- Difficulty judging distances (more falls than usual)
- Changes in their normal mood including anxiety and depression
- In certain types of dementia, personality and behaviour changes may be present alongside or instead of issues with memory or concentration.
Moderate Dementia
Someone living with our definition of "moderate dementia" might experience some or all of the following:
- Worsened memory problems. Not always recognising own family members and friends. Repeating the same questions over and over again
- Worsened language and communication issues, forgetting what they are saying mid-sentence. Not being able to understand what someone else is saying
- More frequent confusion, e.g. about the time of day or where they are, including their own home
- Apathy, depression and anxiety
- Believing things that aren't true (paranoia)
- Frequent hallucinations
- Lack of emotional control, quick to anger, fearfulness, sadness
- Loss of inhibition
- Difficulties sleeping or waking during the night and behaving as though it is daytime - loss of circadian rhythm.
Advanced Dementia
Someone living with our definition of "severe dementia" might experience some or all of the following:
- Severe memory problems. Not recognising family members and friends. Not being able to recall their own name
- Severe language and communication issues, not being able to understand what someone else is saying
- Severe confusion, e.g. about the time of day or where they are, including their own home
- Apathy, depression and anxiety
- Believing things that aren't true (paranoia)
- Frequent hallucinations
- Lack of emotional control, quick to anger, fearfulness, sadness
- Loss of inhibition
- Difficulties sleeping or waking during the night and behaving as though it is daytime - loss of circadian rhythm.
Verbally or physically aggressive behaviour
If your loved one displays this type of behaviour you may need a care home that has specially trained staff. Verbal/physical aggression is often defined:
- Consistent shouting and screaming
- Verbal abuse
- Physical abuse
How we define Dementia Care Types
Mild Dementia
Someone living with our definition of "mild dementia" might experience some or all of the following:
- Memory problems such as misplacing items and not be able to recall recent events (however, in some forms of dementia a person's memory may be unchanged)
- Difficulties thinking through problems and planning, making decisions
- Language and communication issues such as finding it difficult to recall the appropriate word in a conversation or following a conversation
- Poor orientation, getting lost in areas previously familiar to them
- Difficulty judging distances (more falls than usual)
- Changes in their normal mood including anxiety and depression
- In certain types of dementia, personality and behaviour changes may be present alongside or instead of issues with memory or concentration.
Moderate Dementia
Someone living with our definition of "moderate dementia" might experience some or all of the following:
- Worsened memory problems. Not always recognising own family members and friends. Repeating the same questions over and over again
- Worsened language and communication issues, forgetting what they are saying mid-sentence. Not being able to understand what someone else is saying
- More frequent confusion, e.g. about the time of day or where they are, including their own home
- Apathy, depression and anxiety
- Believing things that aren't true (paranoia)
- Frequent hallucinations
- Lack of emotional control, quick to anger, fearfulness, sadness
- Loss of inhibition
- Difficulties sleeping or waking during the night and behaving as though it is daytime - loss of circadian rhythm.
Advanced Dementia
Someone living with our definition of "severe dementia" might experience some or all of the following:
- Severe memory problems. Not recognising family members and friends. Not being able to recall their own name
- Severe language and communication issues, not being able to understand what someone else is saying
- Severe confusion, e.g. about the time of day or where they are, including their own home
- Apathy, depression and anxiety
- Believing things that aren't true (paranoia)
- Frequent hallucinations
- Lack of emotional control, quick to anger, fearfulness, sadness
- Loss of inhibition
- Difficulties sleeping or waking during the night and behaving as though it is daytime - loss of circadian rhythm.
Verbally or physically aggressive behaviour
If your loved one displays this type of behaviour you may need a care home that has specially trained staff. Verbal/physical aggression is often defined:
- Consistent shouting and screaming
- Verbal abuse
- Physical abuse
How we define Dementia Care Types
- Mild Dementia
- Moderate Dementia
Other Care Provided
- Palliative / End of Life Care
- COPD/Pulmonary Disease
- Convalescent Care
Facilities
- Own Furniture if required
- Smoking not permitted
- Minibus or other transport
- Lift
- Wheelchair Access
- Gardens
- Bar/Café
- Residents Kitchenette
- Phone Point in own room
- Television point in own room
- Residents Internet Access
Funding & Fees
Weekly Charges per Person
Barchester Hickathrift House £1,350.00 This Weekly Fee rate is an indication only of a typical standard fee rate for a resident living in a standard, comfortable room. A final Weekly Fee rate will be confirmed once we have carried out a pre-admission needs assessment.
Contact Barchester Hickathrift House to confirm what's included and get a personalised quote:
Funding Types Accepted
- Self-Funding (Private)
- Local Authority with Top-up
- Local Authority
-
NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC)
Good to Know
Group / Owner
- Barchester Healthcare Ltd
- Private Owned
Person in charge
- Paula Melerski (General Manager)
Local Authority / Social Services
Admission Information
- Ages 50+
Care Home Design/Build
- Purpose Built: No
- Last Refurbishment: 2019
Room Information
- Single Rooms (54)
- Single Rooms with ensuite Wet Room (13)
Visiting
- Please feel free to visit Hickathrift House anytime - the door is always open! Visitors are more than welcome to come along to the life enrichment programme of activities and join their loved ones as they participate too! Please do talk to the Activities Coordinators if wishing to join in on excursions on the home's Mini Bus and they will be happy to discuss this further.
Parking
- When pulling into the home driveway - please follow the drive round to the right to find the standard parking spaces. Disabled parking is also available - please follow the drive round to the left into the Courtyard where visitors can park closer to the home entrance.
Barchester Hickathrift House Reviews (120)
Barchester Hickathrift House has a Review Score of 9.9 (9.889) out of 10, based on 20 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time Barchester Hickathrift House has 120 reviews.
Thanks to all at Hickathrift for looking after my husband throughout this extremely difficult time, it has been hard not seeing him during lockdown but I never had any doubts that he was being well cared for. For me the highlight of this year was when I was able to visit him again, even though it was a window visit it was good to see him looking so happy and well cared for. Over the time my husband has been at Hickathrift, I have come to look on the staff as my friends and I think they have done a wonderful job during this pandemic. Thank you to all.
I am so pleased to hear you are enjoying the window visits as it obvious to all of us that it brings the same joy to your husband.
Dad is 91-years-old and suffers with slight dementia. He has been in care at Hickathrift for 14 months. During this time we have never had any concerns about Dad's care or safety. We live close by and my wife was visiting (prior to Pandemic) her dad four times each week and became involved in various activities with Dad and his new family friends. It is a "happy" place, you cannot fail to smile when visiting, the team who work there are all friendly helpful people who CARE. In January this year Dad became extremely ill rather rapidly, he had collapsed in his bathroom, the team, including management, were very quick to react, Dad's GP was consulted and arrangements were made to have emergency ambulance to A&E, Dad was diagnosed with type A Flu and made a full recovery due to the diligence of the team. Since then of course we have endured COVID-19, again the team have demonstrated the utmost care and respect in dealing with the mental stress of being separated from our loved ones.
Thank you so much for your time leaving us feedback and for your kind words, I will ensure this is cascaded to the team. It is a real pleasure looking after dad and we all miss your regular visits, but I know the garden visits have been positive for you all.
My Dad stayed at Hickathrift House for two weeks respite in April 2020 during the pandemic, so we were unable to visit him. However, we phoned regularly and were given a full well-informed report. The care staff always answered cheerfully and had obviously had long conversations with my Dad. Receptionists always answered professionally. All members of staff were polite. The manager was kind and reassuring. The building was clean, well decorated, and fresh smelling.
Thank you so much for your kind comments. I will ensure your review is cascaded to all staff. It was a pleasure looking after your dad here on respite stay and if we can support in the future please don't hesitate to contact us.
Hickathrift House staff were very supportive and I left mum in their care with full confidence. Mum had a weeks' respite care and she is not the easiest of characters. They made sure she was included in the activities.
Thank you for your review. Please do not hesitate to contact us in the future if you require further support, it was a pleasure looking after mum during her respite stay
I can certainly recommend Hickathrift House as a care home. It is well managed and run, being open to visitors without notice/appointment. The staff are extremely committed, helpful and caring and work hard to maintain a community atmosphere. The home maintains all necessary contact with family and is good at following-up and responding to the family with ongoing matters. The home is currently operating with 2 senior vacancies through maternity leave over a number of months. Nevertheless, with well thought out acting-up arrangements, standards are being maintained. Doubtless, it would be possible to get cheaper care, but it is always easy to buy cheap - it is quality that matters!
Both myself and staff appreciate your lovely comments about care delivery and service here at Hickathrift.
It not only gives us reassurance that she is safe and cared for, but it is actually great to see the way that she has been encouraged to be part of a larger group of friends, doing things that put a smile on her face. Every time we visit, Mum tells us how they have been doing things together, or just having a giggle.
Thank you so much for your lovely review - It is a pleasure for us all looking after your mum here at Hickathrift.
We have found the management and staff at Hickathrift House to be most helpful and professional at what could be a very stressful time for the family of someone being admitted to the home. Each time we have visited the home the atmosphere in the home is always very friendly and caring.
I am pleased with almost everything. The building is good but it is split into two. One side is very updated, clean (most people call (the posh side) and the other side, I have heard it called (the smelly side) and not so nice to be in. The staff are all very good.
The staff from top to bottom are helpful, caring and understanding. The environment is excellent and the food superb. Nothing is too much trouble. We cannot recommend Hickathrift enough.
It means a lot to me that my lovely partner is happy in Hickathrift House. He has been here for 21 years. I love him to bits, always have. It's expensive for me to see him as I am not allowed to drive. I manage 2 or 3 times a week. Worth every penny. £40 in a taxi.
Thank you for your lovely comments, everyone involved in his care appreciates them and we love having him here.
My mum has been here over 10 years and seems to be happy here. The staff are lovely and look after her well. One day, if I cannot look after myself, I would be happy to come here myself. The management are very helpful. Keep up the good work.
Thank you so much for your lovely comments, we love having Mum here and your daily visits always brighten our day as well as hers.
I've seen a big difference in the home of late and the carers and staff are very good. Decorating of rooms also a nice improvement. If anything, I could suggest is better bed linen and pillows.
Thank you for your comments, we are so happy you have seen an improvement within the home and the decorating will be continuing over the coming months. I will pass your comments regarding the linen to the housekeeping team.
My mother has just passed away aged 101. She received fantastic care in the six years she was a resident, and I am certain she would not have reached this age if it were not for the care and kindness she received from all the staff who go out of their way to ensure the residents have all they need. The latest manager is excellent, and nothing is too much trouble. I would recommend Hickathrift House to anyone.
Thank you so much for such lovely comments, it was a joy to look after Mum for the past 6 years and she is already sadly missed.
Living in Canada I am so grateful for the high standard of care that my mother enjoys at Hickathrift House. When I visit I am impressed by the kindness and caring of the staff and the best practice policies towards dementia care.
Thank you so much for your lovely comments, I will make sure that I share them with all of the staff involved in Mum's care.
The new manager has turned this home from a good 4* to an excellent 5*. The staff seemed to have stepped up a gear and producing great care. They seem to be far more motivated and seem to go the extra mile.
Thank you so much for your fantastic feedback, its been a great year for Hickathrift and we are so pleased to have Mum here. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
I am a volunteer for Hickathrift House. I help to set up for their events and fairs. I can honestly say I have never met such a great team! From managers, care staff, activities, housekeeping and maintenance, it is obvious they have passion in their roles and this reflects in the residents who all appeared happy. I recently helped set up for the summer fete in August and was honoured to meet their eldest resident of 101!
Thank you Pete, your comments are really appreciated and I will pass them on to everyone that was involved in making the Summer fete a success.
My mother has lived at home with us as a family until this year and at 92 it was decided reluctantly that due to erratic work commitments, we could not provide adequate care cover even though still very able in many respects. Nervous of ensuring she would cope in the new environment, socialise, and make a home, we selected Hickathrift on first impressions as everyone has to. However, she has settled extremely well, is very well cared for in every respect and we too are made most welcome at all times. Everyone involved seems to be on the same page about quality of care and interest in the residents and set out to ensure they are comfortable, happy, from the care staff to the cleaners, gardener and handyman. Very professional and highly recommended and an environment that breeds trust in the safety of your relative.
Thank you so much for taking the time to write us such a lovely compliment and expressing your appreciation for the team here at Hickathrift House.
We are so pleased you chose Hickathrift for Mum. we are happy to know that you trust in the care, quality and safety of the residents that live here.
She is well looked after. The staff are brilliant. The food is delicious. The place is spotless.
Thank you so much for taking the time to write us such a lovely compliment and expressing your appreciation for the team here at Hickathrift House. I have shared your comments with everyone that is involved. I can tell you it means a great deal to each and every one of them and as a manager, makes...
I would like to thank all your staff for the excellent care shown to my father and his family.
Thank you.
Thank you so much for taking the time to write us such a lovely compliment and expressing your appreciation for the team here at Hickathrift House. I have shared your comments with everyone that is involved. I can tell you it means a great deal to each and every one of them and as a manager, makes...
Mum has settled in extremely well, we didn't think she would but she is very much at home thanks to the care of everyone in the home.
Thank you so much for taking the time to write us such a lovely compliment and expressing your appreciation for the team here at Hickathrift House. I have shared your comments with everyone that is involved. I can tell you it means a great deal to each and every one of them and as a manager, makes...
Regulatory Rating
Care Quality Commission (CQC) Rating
Date: 21 May 2019Good
- Caring Good
- Effective Good
- Responsive Good
- Safe Good
- Well-led Good
Inspection ratings
We rate most services according to how safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led they are, using four levels:
- Outstanding - The service is performing exceptionally well.
- Good - The service is performing well and meeting our expectations.
- Requires Improvement - The service isn't performing as well as it should and we have told the service how it must improve.
- Inadequate - The service is performing badly and we've taken action against the person or organisation that runs it.
- Not rated - we have not yet rated this area of the service, this is normally because the assessments we have carried out have been focused on other key questions.
Bed Vacancies
Please contact us for latest vacancies.
News (63) & Events (3)
- 22 Jun 2026
Residents at Hickathrift House Care Home in Marshland St James, Wisbech enjoyed a spectacular party where the men were treated as Kings in celebration of Father’s Day on June 21st....
- 29 May 2026
Staff at Hickathrift House Care Home in Marshland St. James, Wisbech are being joined by PC Nigel – Fraud & Cyber Security Advisor on Wednesday 17th June at 10.30am. The...
- 15 May 2026
After a lifetime of working in care before finishing her career at Hickathrift House in Marshland St James, Wisbech, much-loved Senior Care Assistant, Marilyn Oliver has decided to retire. Staff...
- 29 Jul 2026Organiser: Barchester Hickathrift House
- 30 Jul 2026Organiser: Barchester Hickathrift House
- 21 Aug 2026Organiser: Barchester Hickathrift House
Awards / Recognitions (30)
- 09 Jun 2026Recipient: Barchester Healthcare Ltd
- 09 Jun 2026Recipient: Barchester Healthcare Ltd
- 15 Apr 2026Recipient: Barchester Healthcare Ltd
Meet the Team (13)
Hello, my name is Paula and I am proud to be General Manager at Hickathrift House. I joined Barchester in 2015 and my background is actually in Nursing.
As an experienced home manager, I fully understand how difficult the transition into new surroundings can be. My highly qualified team and I are committed to fully supporting you and your family throughout this journey and always.
I am passionate about our residents being safe, making them happy and enabling them to lead fully enriched lives whilst constantly receiving the highest quality of care.
One thing that I feel is really important is offering residents a lot of personal choices and as Hickathrift House is their home they have the right to choose what goes on here!
I am hands-on in my role, I like to spend as much time as possible with the people that we care for and I also really enjoy getting to know our residents' families and providing them with support when they need it.
Our team here at Hickathrift House are dedicated to guaranteeing that all of our residents are treated with dignity, respect and attention - thus in turn enabling them to celebrate life in their new Barchester home which I feel exceptionally privileged to be a part of.
I look forward to welcoming you to Hickathrift House very soon!
Hello, my name is Sarah, and I am Deputy Manager at Hickathrift House.
I started my role at Hickathrift as a night carer in 2011, and have worked my way up through the roles since this time, such as senior carer, Night Manager and now Deputy Manager at the end of November 2022.
I am very passionate about my job and love to know that every day I come into work, I try my best to positively impact the residents' well-being. Knowing that even the smallest of things, such as a quick hello or a smile, can improve their day greatly, as well as mine. I am enjoying getting to know the families and friends which working 11 years on nights you can miss.
I am extremely dedicated to ensuring the best for all of our residents in all aspects of their care, and with the excellent support from all of the staff here at Hickathrift, it doesn’t feel like a job at all.
Hello, my name is Tracey Hills and I have been part of the Administration team here at Hickathrift House for 12 years. I enjoy helping people and advising them where I can.
I have been part of the team at Hickathrift House for 26 years covering different job roles including Deputy Manager. I would like to think that I am a friendly and approachable person and look forward to meeting you when you visit our home very soon!
Hello, my name is Kanita Oakey-Kierman and I have been part of the Administration Team here at Hickathrift House for the past 12 years.
I have worked at Hickathrift for over 27 years. During this time, I have been a Care Assistant and Senior Care Assistant - once I had my children, I changed to the Administration role which I really do enjoy.
I am here to ensure that our residents and their families are fully supported and it is a real pleasure to meet and greet all of the visitors and guests to our lovely home.
Having been at Hickathrift House for such a long time, I feel very attached to it and all of the home's community friends that have been made over the years too!
Hello, my name is Kat and I am the Activities Lead at Hickathrift House.
Since 2017, I have been working in the field of well-being and I am passionate and enthusiastic about enriching all of our residents' quality of life.
As the Activities Lead at Hickathrift House, my focus is learning about each of our resident's likes and dislikes and supporting them to remain receptive and active in addition to supporting them to engage with our local community friends.
I organise activities to stimulate the mind, body and soul in an enjoyable, comfortable way. My aim is to diversify and increase activities ensuring that there is something for everyone - from Wine and Cheese events, excursions on our home Mini Bus as well as individual bespoke person-centred activities.
Charley has been a much-valued member of the Hickathrift family since joining the home in 2024.
She loves to make our residents smile and takes so much enjoyment in helping them to share and enjoy new experiences.
Away from home, Charley loves to spend time with her friends and family and play Sudoku.
Hello, my name is Gerry and I joined the team here at Hickathrift House in 2012.
I started as the Gardener and have always assisted with maintaining the home - becoming the Head of Maintenance here in 2022.
I am responsible for all aspects of our home maintenance and Health and Safety at Hickathrift House whilst ensuring our residents' home is just how they want them.
Kelly has been a part of the Hickathrift community since 2023 and is proud to be our homes' Head of Unit on Memory Lane.
She speaks warmly about how much she loves to make a difference to those living with dementia and their loved ones, how much she adores her role and how the home is like a family.
When Kelly is away from home, she loves to explore the great outdoors, going travelling, making precious memories with her family and watching horror films.
Hello, my name is Kerry Ann and I am I the Head of our Residential Community here at Hickathrift House.
I joined Hickathrift House in 2018 as a Senior Care Assistant and then became the Head of the community in 2020.
During my career, I have gained my NVQ 2 and 3 in Health and Social care for adults and firmly believe the care I give to our residents should be the same as if they were my own family.
I like to make myself approachable to all our staff, residents, and their families. There really is no place I would rather be and I love working alongside the team here at Hickathrift House.
Julie is a long-standing and much-valued member of the team, having been a part of the Hickathrift family since 2014.
She is incredibly passionate about making a positive difference in our residents' lives and often volunteers to join trips out.
Away from home, Julie loves to knit; this is a hobby and a passion she has transferred into the home, often joining in with the knitting activities taking place.
Lindsey joined the Hickathrift family in Spring 2026 as a Care Assistant. She considers it a privilege to work with seniors and believes that care is her true calling.
For Lindsey, making a difference means engaging in meaningful conversations and providing support to those who need it most. When she isn't at work, she cherishes spending precious time with her family.
Hello, my name is Barrie, I moved into Hickathrift House in 2021 and have a great relationship with the staff and residents here. I became the resident advocate for Hickathrift House in March 2022.
I like to help residents express their views and be a friendly ear when they need it. Should there be any areas of our life here that anyone would like to discuss or suggest, such as nutrition, activities or cleanliness, please contact me and I shall bring it to your attention at the next Residents' Meeting?
Hello, my name is Ann and I am the home Hairdresser here at Hickathrift House.
I am a fully qualified local hairdresser with years of experience in salon and mobile hairdressing.
I fully understand the varied needs of individual residents and know the importance of how the trip to the salon can make someone feel. Whether it is a Trim, Perm or Blow-Dry, I am in the home salon every Thursday and look very much forward to meeting you!
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