Life & Style Issue 6 2011

Solihull , Barons Court
Dear Editor,

Phillip Allen was called up in the war, as a driver in Royal Army Service Corps in June 1940. He was taken as a prisoner in the North African campaign in April 1941 and shipped to a prisoner of war camp near Naples, Italy.

Many of the prisoners were forced to work in a factory under the management of I.G.Farben producing material for the war, this did however, provide Phillip with an opportunity for escape. He and other prisoners took their chance during an air raid by the Allies, but they did not get too far before they were recaptured by the SS. They were lucky though, they’d saved their cigarettes from their Red Cross parcels, which they had intended to use to barter for food. Instead they used them to persuade the German guards to go easy on them.

At the end of 1944, as the Soviet troops advanced into Germany, Phillip and the other prisoners were forced to do the ‘death march’, a 600 mile walk, which many did not survive. Phillip wore his shoes out to their soles. He was designated to cook for the other prisoners, which was manly vegetable based. The prisoners were only allowed one meal a day.

One night Phillip and a few other prisoners were allocated to the upstairs of a barn to sleep. Phillip felt the need to relieve himself during the night and spied a sufficiently sized hole in the wooden floor. Unfortunately a German guard was stood directly underneath and was not amused. Phillip pretended to be asleep, when the German soldiers raced upstairs with their rifles and they all protested their innocence. It was a very close call, however from that moment onwards Phillip was known as the guy who p***** on the Germans!

Iiford, Limewood Court
Dear Editor,

The committee here would like to take this opportunity to thank one of our special Residents. Stella Pearl is an unsung hero devoting her time and energies to making toys which are donated to charity. Stella’s consideration for others is in part due to her happy and positive disposition and her opinion is often sought after by Residents.

Clacton, Priory Park
Dear Editor,

I was interested to read Elizabeth Cumming’s comments in issue 4 about being the youngest Resident. I purchased my property last October at the tender age of 56 and 9 months and wonder if this qualifies me as the youngest Resident, or can anyone better it?

Whitchurch, Mulberry Mead
Dear Editor,

We have been successful in getting a lottery donation of £2050. The money went towards buying a new mahogany snooker table, which also acts as a dining table (as the top cover is removable). Without the help of Mrs Brown and Mr Mayhew, we wouldn’t have had so many enjoyable events here.

Hoddesdon , Belvedere Court
Dear Editor,

One of our Residents, Ron Cooper has a lot of energy. He recently won first prize in all three swimming categories he entered in: freestyle, backstroke and breaststroke. Ron will be 83 soon, but is still on the go!

Northallerton , Arden Court
Dear Editor,

We are mourning the end of an era, our old faithful tree, which stood on duty at the entrance to our development is due for the chop. The tree is 60-70 years old and the tree surgeon has diagnosed it with cancerous growths, which cannot be cured.

You will be gone, but never forgotten!

Old School Court and Mews, Stowmarket
Enjoyed a strawberry tea and a grand summer buffet

Emerald Court, Coulsdon
Fred Rook, one of the Queen's Almsmen Westminister Abbey received the Maundy Money this year and was invited to the Royal wedding

Pritchard Court, Llandaff
Enjoy scrabble nights, quiz nights and fish and chip suppers

Maple Court, Hayling Island
Residents are enjoying their new petanque pitch

Manor Court Lodge, South Woodford
Enjoyed an afternoon of play your cards right and a cream tea

Homeforth House, Gosforth
Enjoy keep fit classes, film nights, triominos afternoon and Friday lunch club

Bronte Court, Exmouth
Have won their local gardens in bloom competition

William Gibbs Court, Faversham
Enjoyed a cheese and wine party

Harbutts, Bath
Gran and Bar Mason recently wowed audiences by singing and dancing with their local society

Premier Court, Grantham
Celebrated the developments 25th anniversary

Broadway Court, Gosforth
Have four new Residents in the shape of hedgehogs!

Chestnut Grange and Harding Place, Wokingham
Enjoyed an outing to Runneymede by coach and a cruise along the River Thames whilst enjoying lunch. On the way back Residents enjoyed a cream tea at Savill Gardens

Homecross House, Chiswick
Thank you to Marion and Eric Patrick for all their help with the royal luncheon

Westwood Court, Enfield
Residents enjoy parties and lunches

Homefleet House, Ramsgate
Enjoy chair exercises, craft afternoons, bingo and bridge

Oaksmere Gardens, Ipswich
Enjoyed a strawberry tea and fish and chip lunch hosted by Anne & Eric

Worcester Court, Surrey
A chinese evening was enjoyed by all

Montgomery Court, Warwick
Celebrated the developments 10th anniversary

Ashdown Court, Cromer
Residents have enjoyed a midsummer evening meal, strawberry tea, ladies lunch, sherry mornings and a quiz evening

Read Court, Westgate-on-Sea
Residents have enjoyed a karate demonstration, fortnightly zumba classes, craft club, quiz nights and a trip out to Lathe Barn and a pub lunch

Bartholomew Court, Grappenhall
Enjoy weekly coffee mornings, bingo, quizes, domino 12s. Residents have also enjoyed hot pot suppers, wine and nibbles, strawberry teas and a table top sale

Roman Court, Borough Green
Residents enjoy exercise classes twice a week

Valley Court, Nottingham
Enjoy fortnightly bingo, quizes, whist evenings and chocolate and chat evenings

Heathdene Manor , Watford
Held their own bowles club presentation

Orchid Court, Egham
Residents enjoyed a day of horse racing in their lounge

Madeira Court , Western-Super-Mare
Residents enjoyed a strawberry and cream tea

Reeves Court, Camberley
Residents enjoy dvd film shows held every week in their lounge

Cherwell Court, Kidlington
Residents have enjoyed a cheese and wine evening, fish and chip supper and exercise classes

Buckingham Court Phase 1 , Bognor Regis
Celebrated the development 19th anniversary

Goldsmere Court , Hornchurch
Residents enjoying the last of the sun

The Mallards , Great Wakering
John & Margaret Hewitt - 58 years

Blackstones Court, Stamford
Held an afternoon tea party

Gheluvelt Court, Worcester
Resident Florence Davidson enjoyed a flight in a hot air balloon

Baden Court, West Kirby
Celebrated the developments 13th anniversary

Grayrigge Court, Grange over Sands
Residents attended a farewell tea to bid a fond farewell tp their House Manager

Hometeign House , Newton Abbot
Won 'Newton in Bloom' 2011

Regal Court, Trwobridge
Residents raised £150 for Wiltshire Air Ambulance

Healey Court, Warwick
The knit and knatter group send their knitted items to Africa and Birmingham. Mrs Fowler has knitted a lot of teddy bears to send away

Pegasus Court, Exmouth
Held a Paws for Thought coffee afternoon, raising £120 for Hearing Dogs for the Deaf, Margaret McGuire raised £20 for a cancer charity by making and selling cards

Homedene House, Poole
Ada Newman raised £1800 for Forrest Home Hospice by recently completing a Tandem Sky dive

Westfield Court, Andover
Held a 'guess the name of the knitted doll' compeition raising £70 for Great Ormond Street

Ashley Court, Frodsham
Will be holding a Macmillan Coffee Morning to raise funds for the charity

Rosewood Lodge, Shirley
Gladys Raraty knits bears for charity, she's just finished a bride & groom and bikini babe bear! Yvonne Stewart knits blankets and coats for the dogs home and Sybil Mullins makes handmade cards for all occassions for church and lunch

Premier Court, Grantham
The knitting circle held a coffee morning to help raise funds for the victims of the Japan earthquake and tsunami

Carlton Court, Somerset
Held a raffle and cream tea raising £175.85

Stevens Court, Wokingham
The "knitters and knatters" knit jumpers and blankets to send to Nepal to help orphans and tiny bonets for the premature baby unit in the Royal Berkshire hospital

Mead Court, Addlestone
Donated £1700 to various charities and £1400 to Help for Heroes

Read Court, Westgate-on-Sea
Residents held a summer fayre raising £375.60

Wombrook Court, Wombourne
Raised £500 for Help for Heroes

Beatty Court , Nantwich
Held a Spring Fair raising a total of £300 for the MacMillan Nurses

Alexandra Court, Clevedon
Donated £100.40 to bowel cancer through holding a coffee morning

Homedrive House, Hove
Raised £80 for Marie Curie Cancer Care

Homecourt House , Exeter
Residents held a tea party raising £280.00 for Macmillan Nurses

Carline Fields, Shrewsbury
Residents donated £212 to the Severn Hospice

Badgers Court & Lodge, Epsom
Residents held a garden fete raising £520 for the Surrey Association for Visual Impairment

Hardys Court, Weymouth
Held a Marie Curie blooming great tea party raising £320

Halebrose Court, Southbourne
Residents raised £230 for the RNLI

Lydgate Court, Bury St Edmonds
Residents raised £1000 for the East Anglia Children's Hospice

The Mallards, Great Wakering
Pat & Reg Stammers - 60 years

Lilac Court, Brighton
Jess Wheatley - 102

Orchard Gardens, Cheshire
Reg Newman - 95
Mary Bogie - 95
Dennis & Joan Field - 60 years

Homelake House, Poole
Dorris Roberts - 95
Joan Sykes - 92
Cybil Scrivens - 91

Palmerston Lodge, Chelmsford
Edna Smith -90
Alan Bell -90
Bill Lewis - 90
Betty Robertson - 90

Hometye House, Seaford
Grace Jay - 90
Pauline Schlosser - 90
Freda Brown - 90

Watkins Court, Hereford
Dick Vine - 91
Gwen Peach - 90

Finch Court, Sidcup
Vera Sheppard - 90

Pegasus Court, Buckhurst Hill
Sheila Crompton - 90
Jean Stark - 90

Golden Court, Isleworth
Hilda Graff - 100

Whitecliffe Court, Blandford
Annie (Nona) Wallis - 90

Fairacres Close, Keynsham
Florence Ashman - 100
Raymond Blackmore - 97
Joyce Bishop - 95
Eleanor Young - 92
Lillian Williams - 91
William Maggs - 90

Knights Court, Balsall Common
Joan Richards - 95
Brigit Johnson - 95

Greenways Court, Bromborough
Freda Fitzgerald - 90

Old School Court and Mews, Stowmarket
Marian White - 90
Hughie Barker - 90

Cadogan Court, Fleet
Joyce Woodward - 90

Homeview, Poole
Bill & Mary Knight - 66 years

Wren Court, Brixham
Val & Bob - 50 years

Wren Court, Brixham
Marie Gibbs - 100

Fairways Court, Whitby
Mary Airey - 96
Ted Ogelsby- 91
Harold Hill - 91
Dell Sewell - 90

Rosewood Lodge, Shirley
Daisy Gibson - 95

Aspley Court, Bedford
Natalina Colangelo - 98
Mollie Krokoszynski - 96
Jessie Sheffield - 96
Mirrium Matthews - 94
Margaret Wilde - 93
Sylvia Fyvie - 92
Isabel Wickson - 92
Ted Hunt - 92
Olive Turpie - 90
Betty Baxter - 90
Alec Millar - 90
Brenda & Norman Gorham - 64 years
Edith & Stan Gaunt - 61 years
Don & Gwen Edwards - 60 years
Blanch & Frank Ogden - 59 years
Yvonne & Roy Hodson - 57 years
Maureen & Alec Millar - 56 years

Downy Court, Poole
Audrey & Charles Pollard - 60 years

Holmgrove House, Purley
Rose Healy - 90

Mercian Court, Shropshire
John Quin - 90
David Asprey - 90
Albert Leigh - 90

Winterbourne Court, Bracknell
Harry & Pam Player - 60 years

Heath Court, Haywards Heath
Grace Large - 100

Kingsdale Court, Chatham
Pam Hook - 92

Burgess Court, Ludlow
Hilda Kenhard - 90
Gwyneth Beswick - 90
Tony Coachman- 92
Johny Mundy - 94
Olwen Freeman - 93

Beechwood Court, Wolverhampton
Eileen Unitt - 100

Bellevue Court, Dunbar
Mr & Mrs Henderson - married

Austen Court, London
Kath Blackwell - 90

Eden Court, Bletchley
Mary & Barry Kemp - 60 years

Primlea Court, Corbridge
Robert & Thelma Chilvers - 70

Carlton Court, Somerset
Queenie Burke - 90
Connie Miles - 90
Stuart Brookfield - 91
John Hewlett - 91
Kath Hunt - 91
Hilda Sutton - 93
Ellen Aspinwell - 95
Keith & Barbara Pickering - married

The Meads, Windsor
Harry & Eileen Pullen - 70 years

Valley Court, Caterham
Aniela Kozminska - 105

Parish Court, Lymington
Joan Mackay - 100

Mulberry Mead, Whitchurch
Beryl Lee - 96
Norah Mills - 94

Meadow Heights, Andover
Muriel Scott - 99
Albert Coles - 92

Catherdal Court, Gloucester
Betty Wilmott - 90

Compton Court, Tuckton
George Ashbee - 100
Molly Honey - 90

Reynard Court, Purley
Reginald & Christine Dunn - 100

Westfield Court, Andover
Charles & Gwen Kirby - 60 years

Homegreen House, Haslemere
Audrey Campbell - 90
Joyce Stewart - 90
Edith Gregory - 90

Wellington Court, Kent
Dickie Parfitt - 90

Homegarth House, Leeds
Marion Suggett - 95

Badgers Court, Epsom
Patricia Skeggs - 90
Bobbie Pilbrow - 90

Courtyard Gardens, Wrotham
Freda McGregor - 101

Read Court, Westgate-on-Sea
Pat Frost - 90
Pat Deeprose - 90

Wherry Reach, Acle
Ruby Bryan - 95

Kingsdale Court, Chatham
Bob & Joyce Lockyer - 55 years

The Cedars, Knowle
Dennis & Edna Cantello - 70 years

Kingsley Court, Aldershot
Roy & Valerie Wearing - 60 years

Wombrook Court, Wombourne
Mairi Brand - 95

Fairholme Court, Southampton
Vida Olden - 90

Mullender Court, Gravesend
Zena French - 98

Sycamore Grange, Fleet
Marion Lowe - 90

Heathdene Manor, Watford
Dorothy Cox - 90

Marlborough House , Reading
Dorothy Johnson - 100

Orchard Mead , Leigh-On-Sea
Jessie Surridge - 100

Alexandra Court, Windermere
Doris Brydon - 90

Hendon Grange, Leicester
Irene Thurman - 90

Linters Court, Redhill
Olive Marchant -100

Newnham Green, Maldon
Lilian Marie Finch - 100

Conrad Court, Stanford Le Hope
Rosa Manning - 91
Laurie Outen -90

Cloverdale Court , Lyme Regis
Mary Buckley - 90

Valley Court , Nottingham
Maurice & Hilda Illsley - 60 years

Stanley Court, Torquay
Leslie Lissenburg - 91
Anne Griffiths -92

Marlborough Court, Wallington
Len Frost - 97

Dene Court, Cowplain
Doris Phillips -100

Homewaye House, Westbourne
Phyllis Johnson - 100
Phyllis Louise Mortimer - 100

Asprey Court, Caterham
Margaret Milestone - 90
Frances & Mike Harrington - 50 years

Liddiard Court, Stourbridge
Dorothy Hemmings - 95

Carnegie Court, Ilkley
Nora Oakes 101

Homelake House, Poole
Ronald George Sykes - 92

Halebrose Court, Southbourne
Ella Prentice - 95
Norman Jones, Marjorie Wentworth- 92
Mary Davies, Grace Fox, Tess Newton, Vera Varney - 91
Sybil Ashton - 90
Bill & Betty Bolton - 62 years

Bishop’s Court, Wellington
Wyn Mudge – 103
Barbara Brown – 91
Chris Jay – 90
Molly Gear – 92
Jean Jarrett – 98
Kath James – 91
Len Mansfield – 97
Betty Charter-White – 91
Joan Froud – 91
Mary Williams – 92

Willow Court, Bridgwater
Ida Hicks – 90
Joy Webb – 90

Valley Court, Caterham
Angela Kozminska - 105