VE Day 80 celebrated in style at Leamington Spa care home

Care UK’s Priors House, on Old Milverton Lane, pulled out all the stops to commemorate the poignant anniversary of Victory in Europe, and hosted a 1940s-themed swing party with lively performances by Victoria Bunn and Sarah Riad who provided the perfect atmosphere for a dance and a sing-along.

On the day, guests wore their finest 1940s attire and were joined by the cadets from Warwick School.

Resident Margaret reflected on her memories of such a unique time in history, saying: “I joined the Women’s Royal Naval Service (WRNS) in 1948, when I was 17. During my service, I was offered the opportunity to work in the Suez Canal Zone in Egypt, which is where I met my husband, a young officer in the RCT on New Year’s Eve in 1951.”

Francine Summers, Home Manager at Priors House, said: “We had a fantastic time celebrating VE Day 80 with residents, their families and the wonderful Leamington Spa community. Everyone was in high spirits as we marked this momentous occasion, but we also took time to reflect on the poignancy of the milestone.

“It was a privilege to honour this important anniversary and to see the residents enjoying live performances, delicious food and the cadets from Warwick School, as they shared their memories of times gone by. It’s so important to enable residents to foster meaningful connections with the local community and for us to host nostalgic events that can prompt reminiscence.

“Thank you to everyone who joined us and made the day extra special!”

Priors House has officially received ‘Veteran Friendly’ status for meeting eight standards laid out in the Veteran Friendly Framework (VFF), a collaboration between Armed Forces charities Royal Star & Garter and Royal British Legion, and NHS Veterans’ Covenant Healthcare Alliance (VCHA), with funding support from the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust.

The VFF framework involves noting Armed Forces status within residents’ care plans, addressing social isolation, and signposting residents and their relatives to relevant support services, such as their local Royal British Legion branch and other charities that provide support for veterans and their partners.

Priors House, which is rated ‘Outstanding’ by the CQC, is a state-of-the-art care home which provides full-time residential, nursing and dementia care, as well as short-term respite care. Designed to enable residents to live enjoyable and fulfilling lives, the home has its very own cinema and hair salon, and there is plenty of space – both indoors and out – for relaxation and recreation.