Hailsham care home residents have wishes fulfilled

Gill Relton and Barry Wardle, residents at Care UK’s Bowes House on Battle Road, enjoyed a special nautical trip and reminisced about their younger years with a cruise from Sovereign Harbour to Beachy Head lighthouse, including a picnic lunch on board.

Gill used to own a boat on the River Medway in Kent and was a member of the Medway Yacht Club and enjoyed sailing with her family for many years. Barry also enjoyed leisure sailing with his family.

The trip went ahead as part of the home’s ‘Wishing Tree’ initiative, which encourages residents to put wishes forward - allowing them to reconnect with a past hobby or try something completely new. This could be as big as flying a plane or something simple like enjoying a fish and chip supper, there are no limits.

Karen Milligan, senior customer relations manager at Bowes House, said: “We love to go the extra mile for residents here at Bowes House and our wishing tree is a fantastic way to understand what’s really important to them.

“We are thrilled we could help Gill and Barry to reminisce and share this experience with us. It was wonderful to see their faces light up the minute they stepped on board and to hear so many stories and anecdotes from their younger years. It was a fantastic experience for everyone involved and I am so pleased we were able to make Gill and Barry’s wish come true.”

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