D-Day Veteran Opens Garden Of Remembrance At Sunrise Of Bramhall

Sunrise of Bramhall paid their respects to the fallen on Remembrance Sunday with the opening of a new Garden by a D-Day veteran.

The idea for the Garden of a Remembrance came about to provide a quiet space for residents to be able to sit and reflect. The garden was designed by Sunrise of Bramhall’s Maintenance Manager Marc Ward and includes a hand-painted mural by Activities Assistant Sarah Durham.

The garden itself was poignantly opened by D-Day Veteran Cyril Tolley who is a resident at the care home. He served in the Royal Navy as a lieutenant and on D-Day he was responsible for steering the landing crafts on to the beaches, during which he can remember bullets flying past his head. He gave a speech reflecting on those who gave their lives for our freedom and recited some poetry. Despite being a cold morning many residents and team members, warmed by cups of Bovril, came out in the cold to pay their respects.

Ruth Baggs, General Manager at Sunrise of Bramhall, said:

“We are incredibly pleased with how the new garden has turned out and it was an honour for Cyril to officially open it.

“The garden provides a space to reflect and honour the sacrifices made by all those who have died in conflict and will be the central point for our remembrance services from now on.”