Leamington care home couples share relationship advice for Valentine’s Day

Residents and husband and wife Francis and Margaret enjoying a Valentine's meal

Leamington care home residents have come together to share their secrets to a long and happy marriage.

Ahead of Valentine’s Day, the team at Priors House, in Old Milverton Lane, put on a romantic event for residents at the home and celebrated the stories of three couples.

It was love at first sight for 81-year-old Pauline Gibbs and her husband Anthony, aged 88, when their paths crossed as they were walking their dogs.

Residents and husband and wife Alan and Mavis

The pair were married not long after, in 1997, at St Marys Church, in Warwick.

The couple agreed the best advice for a long, happy marriage "is to remember that space is important and be mindful not to smother one another”.

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Residents Margaret and Francis Arnold, aged 92 and 93, have been married for 68 years.

Residents Danny and Eunice enjoying a Valentine's meal

The pair met in Egypt on New Year’s Eve in 1951.

After enjoying their first date at the cinema, the couple were married in 1954 and went on to have two daughters, and now also have two grandchildren, and twin great-grandchildren.

Margaret and Francis’ three pieces of advice for couples today are "to accept your own and your partners’ mistakes”, “take advice when it comes your way” and “remember that marriage is for life”.

Mavis, 89, met her husband 91-year-old Alan at the London Gliding Club, which inspired their first date.

Residents and husband and wife Pauline and Anthony

After being unsuccessful in their gliding attempt, the couple agreed it was time to pack up and instead carried the night on in a pub where sparks began to fly over a few drinks – and they have been joined at the hip ever since, having been married for 62 years.

Mavis and Alan’s advice for a long, happy marriage is ‘total loyalty to one another’.

They said: “Through thick and thin, ill-health or fights, we have always been there to support one another.”

Francine Summers, Home Manager at Priors House, said: “We thought Valentine’s Day was the perfect opportunity to encourage the couples to reminisce and share their pearls of wisdom.

“Many of the residents have also been reminiscing and sharing memories of their own past loves – it was lovely to hear stories from everyone’s younger years.”