England Rugby Team Visits Bagshot Gardens Care Home for Unforgettable Afternoon with Residents
Bagshot Gardens Care Home welcomed eight members of the England Rugby team on Thursday 11 June, as players spent an afternoon engaging with residents following their training camp at nearby Pennyhill Park.
The players had just completed a three-day training camp at Pennyhill Park, located only two miles from the care home, as part of their preparation for the upcoming England XV v France XV match on Friday 19 June at Stade de la Rabine in Vannes.
The visiting squad included Charlie Atkinson, Cadan Murley, Asher Opoku-Fordjour, Tom Curry, Raffi Quirke, Tom Roebuck, Nick Isiekwe, and Ben Earl, who took time away from training to connect with residents.
The visit began with the players supporting the home’s regular 3 pm tea round, serving tea, coffee, and cake alongside the care team, before joining residents for a full programme of activities.
Throughout the afternoon, residents enjoyed chatting to the players, taking photographs, and hearing personal reflections on teamwork, resilience, and life at the highest level of professional sport.
Highlights included a lively game of Giant Scrabble, where resident Erika triumphed with 127 points, and a competitive match of indoor boules, which quickly became a firm favourite among players and residents alike.
Resident Prakash also shared a moment with Opoku-Fordjour, introducing him to the traditional Indian tabletop game Carrom, in which Prakash ultimately won.
Resident, Joan Clitherow, shared her excitement about the visit, “Wow, what an experience. Indoor boules isn’t going to be as fun tomorrow without them.”
Residents were presented with a signed England Rugby shirt as a keepsake from the visit, a gesture that was met with great excitement and appreciation.
Jeremy Richardson, CEO of Avery Healthcare, commented, “It’s not every day that the England Rugby team comes to visit, and the excitement around the home has been incredible. There has been a lot of excitement from our residents, although as a rugby fan myself, I think I may have been checking my diary more than anyone else to make sure I could be here!
“Events like this create genuine moments of happiness, spark memories, encourage conversation and bring people together.
“At Avery, we’re passionate about helping residents continue to live fulfilling and enriching lives, and visits like this play a huge part in that. We were delighted to welcome the team to Bagshot Gardens and are thankful to everyone who helped make it happen.”
Lead receptionist Deborah Short added, “It was just amazing to see the residents talking with all the players and everyone joining in and having the best time together. It’s going to be something that is talked about for a long time to come.”
Reflecting on the visit, England and Harlequins player, Cadan Murley, said, “It meant a lot to spend time with the residents at Bagshot Gardens. Hearing their stories, sharing a few of our own and just enjoying the afternoon together made it a brilliant day that we all loved. We’re grateful for the warmth and kindness they showed.”
