Howzat For A Cracking Day Out For Care Home’s Cricket Fans

Cricket fans from our Birchwood Heights Care Home were hit for six when team members organised a visit to Lord’s to watch Middlesex take on Gloucestershire.

For Stanley Long, 91, it was his first visit to a game despite having loved the sport all his life.  His fellow resident, Mick Hills, 81, only retired from playing for Kent’s Over 70s team in recent years and proudly wore his Kent County Cricket cap and shirt for the trip, which was part of the home’s Sporting Memories programme.

“It was a wonderful trip from start to finish!” said Stan, “and such a big difference from watching a match on the telly.”

Mick agreed.  “It was lovely to watch a professional cricket match at Lord’s for the first time!” he said.

Birchwood Heights offers residential, nursing, memory and respite care for up to 77 residents.  The pair were taken in the home’s minibus from Hilda May Avenue to the ‘home of cricket’ in St John’s Wood, together with Stan’s son, Stuart.

The trip also gave them an opportunity to see the sights en route and share memories about the places they’d worked in and visited over the years.

“The gents loved watching the game, and Stan had the foresight to bring his binoculars!” said Birchwood Heights’s Clinical Services Manager, Derrick Rodger.

“It absolutely made Stan’s day as he’s never been to a match before.  We must have had the best vantage point in the ground, albeit windy due to the typically autumnal weather, which Mick informed us makes for the best cricket.

“When we got back, they were both buzzing and telling everyone about it.”

The Sporting Memories programme at Birchwood Heights aims to tap into the interests of the home’s male residents, using memorabilia such as old football programmes to reminisce and build relationships.

The cricket trip perfectly met the passions of Stan and Mick, thanks to an offer of tickets from the charity, Dementia Adventure.

But Derrick says the day was about more than just sport.

“It was also a fantastic social event for the gents,” he said.  “Mick only recently moved in here and the trip was a chance for him and Stan to have some quality time together.  We reminisced on the journey, and Stan shared his love of architecture and his thoughts on London’s changing skyline as we drove by.

“He lost his beloved wife, Pauline, recently and events like this one, together with the friendships he has at Birchwood Heights, are a great support to him.”

The pair were treated to an impressive batting performance from the home team, but Mick was critical of Gloucestershire’s bowling, and reckoned had he been on the pitch, he would have bowled Middlesex out quicker!

They concluded their day by stopping at the souvenir shop for some mementoes.

“At Birchwood Heights, not only do we like to share our memories, but we also love to create new ones to treasure,” added Derrick.

Summing up the day, Stan said, “It is hard to put into words how much this trip meant to me, other than it was blooming marvellous.”  Mick added, “I was bowled over by such a wonderful day out.”

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