On 14th May, a few residents from L’Hermitage Care Centre and Beaumont Villa Care Home celebrated the 80th anniversary of Liberation Day with a veterans’ tea party hosted by De Gruchy department store.
Organised by De Gruchy Store Director, Simon Youden, who invited veterans from across the island as a gesture of gratitude for their service. Among those honoured were residents, Jean, Frank, Tony and his wife Jeannette, accompanied by Activities and Wellbeing Coordinator, Liza, who was a former Army servicewoman.
Jean, a supporter of the British Legion, spent over 50 years selling poppies. Frank served 14 years in the RAF, and Tony was in the Merchant Navy for over 40 years.
The residents spent the afternoon enjoying delicious food, sharing their stories, and listening to the Optimistic Voices singers, who performed wartime songs throughout the tea party.
Tony and Jeannette, who have been together for 50 years, were surprised with a celebration for their 48th wedding anniversary. The team at De Gruchy kindly gave them a card, a gift, and a delicious cake. Everyone joined in a sing-along to their favourite song, When Will I See You Again by The Three Degrees, a song that they used to sing to each other every time Tony left for sea.
Frank said, “It was a fantastic afternoon, I really enjoyed it.”
L’Hermitage Care Centre which is based in St Peter, on the island of Jersey, offers residential care and nursing care on a permanent and short stay basis, with their sister home Beaumont Villa Care Home based on the same site offering dementia care. If you are looking for a care home, and want to find out more, call us on 0808 175 8498.
