Woodland Grove Resident John gets VIP tour of beloved West Ham

Woodland Grove Resident John gets VIP tour of beloved West Ham

A lifelong West Ham fan has been able to revisit memories of watching Clyde Best and Bobby Moore thanks to our team members organising a VIP trip to the London Stadium.

Former headteacher, John Cullis MBE, used to watch the Hammers with his granddad at the Boleyn Ground but hadn’t been to see a game since Bobby Moore’s last appearance in the 1970s.

The team at Woodland Grove care home on Rectory Lane knew what a treat it would be to see his beloved team’s new home and organised the guided tour of the stadium.

Woodland Grove is a purpose-built, luxury care home that offers residential, nursing, memory and respite care for up to 72 residents.

The visit was extra special for John as he also has a family connection to the team.

“My granddad would join in lunchtime games with the Thames Ironworks, as they were known in those days,” remembered John.  “This was before they became a professional side.

“When I was a boy, it was him that used to take me to games and we used to stand in the ‘Chicken Run’ in the Boleyn ground.  We’d go most Saturdays and I got to watch all the greats – Clyde Best, Bobby Moore, Jeff Hurst – it was wonderful!”

The visit to the London Stadium was organised for John as part of the home’s ‘Resident of the Day’ scheme where each resident in turn is made to feel special.  He got to share the experience with resident Howard Whitehead along with carers and fellow West Ham fans, Chloe Cutts and Laura Woodroof.

Woodland Grove’s Lifestyles Manager, Michela Volpe, said John hasn’t stopped talking about it since.

“The smile hasn’t left his face yet!  We are thrilled he had such a great time.  We know what the club means to him and as well as bringing back some wonderful memories, the visit also gave him something new to experience.  The ground is very different to where John last saw West Ham play and he found it so interesting.”

John added: “The tour was so special.  I can’t express how well the staff looked after us from the word go.  The environment was extraordinary and it was amazing to be able to see everything, from the changing rooms to the touchline.

“It was a very special treat and I cannot thank the team at Woodland Grove enough.”

Experience our exceptional care by discovering more about Woodland Grove Care Home