Meltham care home residents celebrate Queen’s Jubilee with loved ones and a very special crown

Residents at Greenacres care home in Meltham have enjoyed a weekend full of celebrations to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

On Friday, care home staff organised a Jubilee garden party so that residents could celebrate with their families and enjoy refreshments and entertainment. Residents also enjoyed traditional fish and chips, jubilee cupcakes and a glass of fizz.

Then, on Sunday, residents were treated to more entertainment and a posh afternoon tea with staff dressed up in red, white and blue and the care home decked in bunting and flags.

The Mayor of Meltham, Cllr Richard Noon, joined in the celebrations and some families were reunited with loved ones that they hadn’t seen since before the pandemic. In some cases, residents got to meet their great grandchildren for the very first time.

During the party, a special replica of the Queen’s Imperial State Crown also made an appearance. The crown was made back in 1977 by the mother of local resident, Lolitta Perry, to mark the Queen’s silver jubilee. Lolitta’s mother, who is now deceased, handmade the crown after being inspired by a magazine article at the time. She made the main part from copper sheets and adorned it with hundreds of jewels, made from costume jewellery that she collected to embellish the crown. She even made the red velvet cushion it sits on.

The crown was hidden away in a cupboard and forgotten about for 40 years when Lolitta discovered it in her parent’s house. She said: “I had a sudden brainwave that people might like to use it as part of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations so I posted the crown on social media and was blown away by the response I got.

“My mum would have been thrilled to know that all her hard work was going to be on display 45 years after being made. It’s a wonderful legacy and a great tribute to my lovely mum.”

One resident, Paula Pearson, said: “We have all had such a fabulous time to mark the Queen’s very special Platinum Jubilee and have really enjoyed having the care home full of people again. The crown was wonderful too, it’s amazing that the family still have it, and it’s lovely to see it out on display.”

Greenacres lifestyle manager, Nicola Wrigley, said: “It has been a truly wonderful weekend full of celebrations and it was heart-warming to see some of our residents meeting their grandchildren for the very first time.

“It was lovely to see families celebrating together again, so it’s been a very special weekend! I’d like to say a really big thank you to Lolitta for bring her mother’s beautiful crown in for everyone to enjoy and to all the staff who have helped to make this happen…what an incredible weekend.”

Greenacres, operated by Ideal Carehomes, is a residential and dementia care home based on Huddersfield Road in Meltham.

A whole range of photos from the weekend can be viewed on Greenacres’ Facebook page.

To find out more, contact the friendly team on 01484 855 390,

email greenacres@idealcarehomes.co.uk or visit or visit www.idealcarehomes.co.uk.