Hambleton Grange Lovebirds Celebrate Special Wedding Anniversary With Candle Lit Date

Lovebirds, Mike and Maureen, have celebrated their milestone 55th Emerald wedding anniversary at Thirsk care home, Hambleton Grange. The couple were surprised by the thoughtful staff who had organised a private candle-lit date in the vintage tearoom.

The pair met in 1964 during a chance meeting at a bus stop on a rainy day and Maureen knew from the moment she met Mike that he was going to be someone special. Mike was waiting in the pouring rain to catch a bus to begin his day working as an apprentice Secretary when Maureen happened to pass him on her Vespa scooter and stopped to offer Mike a lift to work.

Maureen continued to pass the same bus stop each day and began to carry a spare helmet in the hope of seeing Mike again. Sure enough, they were reunited a few weeks later when Mike hitched another lift to work on the back of Maureen’s scooter. Shortly after the couple went on their first date where they recall driving to Hawnby in a Mini Cooper to have a scenic picnic.

Maureen said, ‘I remember Mike prepared everything, even down to making the double-decker ham sandwiches. Whilst we were eating all the sheep on the hill flocked around us!’ Mike added ‘It was a lovely spot, it is all about the little things, it is interesting that all these years on you remember that sort of detail’.

Mike asked Maureen for her hand in marriage during a midnight mass church service on Christmas Eve and in 1966 the pair tied the knot in front of their friends and family at Easingwold Registry Office followed by a Church Blessing at Stockton Forest Church.

On the day of their surprise anniversary lunch, Mike and Maureen were thrilled to find the tearoom decorated with beautiful balloons, flowers, bunting and fairy lights. Their favourite Doris Day song, Que Sera Sera was playing in the background.

The emotional surprise left the care team crying with happiness for the couple as they shared a loving hug and kiss before sitting down to a delicious three course meal including camembert cheese with crusty bread to start, Lamb chops with baby potatoes and vegetables and Mike’s favourite dessert: chocolate ganache with strawberries and cream.

Mike and Maureen were incredibly grateful to the team, thanking them for creating such a romantic way to celebrate. Mike said, ‘I simply couldn’t ask for more, the staff at Hambleton Grange have been incredibly thoughtful, our date was wonderful – I can’t thank them enough for what they did to help us celebrate our 65th wedding anniversary!’

Lifestyle Manager, Linzi Williamson said, ‘We are so pleased we could make Mike and Maureen’s anniversary so special. They are the definition of soulmates and I am delighted to see how much they enjoyed their special meal’.

Nikki Higgins, Home Manager at Hambleton Grange said, ‘Maureen and Mike are absolutely fantastic, they love each other very much and enjoy being in each other’s company. I love hearing their stories from times gone by and how they have stuck together through thick and thin. A true inspiration to us all’.

Hambleton Grange, operated by Ideal Carehomes, is a residential and dementia care home where residents and staff have recently received their second dose of the Covid-19 vaccination. The home is currently welcoming new residents for short and long term placements and loved ones are able to visit in dedicated Covid-safe social rooms (subject to current guidelines). Hambleton Grange is rated as ‘Good’ by the Care Quality Commission. For more information about Hambleton Grange, contact Nikki on 01845 523 837 or visit https://ichlive1.wpengine.com.