The start of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations has commenced at HC-One’s
Market Lavington residential, nursing and residential dementia care home, in Wiltshire, as Residents were invited to the local school to join in with singing and indulging in some delicious food. And one Resident talked about her time teaching at the school, much to everyone’s surprise.
Lindsay Clough, Headteacher at St Barnabas School, Easterton, kindly invited Residents at Market Lavington’s HC-One home to join them in their last day of term for the Queen’s Jubilee celebration!
Due to Covid restrictions, trips out have been extremely limited, so to be able to join in a social event at another location was greeted with such positivity and enthusiasm by the Residents.
Residents Douglas Murray, Pam Johnson, Angela Wakeley, Violet Lloyd, Kathleen Cox and Dennis Scullard, along with Wellbeing Coordinators Riaz Ali and Michaela Swiffen spent a lovely afternoon with teachers, parents and the children.
St Barnabas had provided a table just for everyone at Market Lavington, which was laden with the freshest cream cakes, the most scrumptious sandwiches, and slices of quiche and sausage rolls.
Violet Lloyd, Resident, said, “It was so lovely. And their cakes were amazing! Our chef has some competition now!”
Thos involved all waved their Union Jack flags as the children gathered to lead the singing of four songs; ‘Sing!’ By Gary Barlow, ‘White Cliffs of Dover’ by Vera Lynn, ‘Anything You Can Do I Can Do Better’ by Irving Berlin, and the hymn ‘Lord Of All Hopefulness’, which are all listed as among the top ten favourites by the Queen. Dennis Scullard, who lives at Market Lavington, remarked, “I loved the singing. ‘Lord Of All Hopefulness’ is always a favourite and one I would sing a lot in my days as a minister.”
Kathleen Cox, who is a Resident at Market Lavington, was a teacher many years ago. She surprised everyone when talking about how she used to work at St Barnabus school, “I used to teach here. I think it was in the 1960s.” She pointed towards two huge trees on the playing field. “I remember when those trees were just saplings, and I also remember the mulberry bush around the corner. The building is more or less the same from the outside.”
Riaz Ali, Wellbeing Coordinator, said, “I am certain Kathleen has not had the opportunity to revisit the school since possibly the 1980s, so it was wonderful that she had the opportunity to return and to listen to all the lovely memories that she holds dear.”
Douglas Murray commented on the day, “It was smashing! The sausage rolls were the best I’ve had and the staff here and children were wonderful. It’s such a great location for a school too, up on a hill with fields all around. It’s idyllic.”
Riaz added, “I would like to Lindsay Clough and all staff at St Barnabas for their warm welcome, consideration and kindness towards us during the day.”