Poole Care Home Fulfils Resident’s Wish To See Her Father’s Artwork On Display

A Poole care home resident’s wish came true when she saw her father’s artwork on display at a Bournemouth museum.

Myrna, who lives in Marjorie House in Lilliput, which is run by not-for-profit charity, Care South, visited the Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum with four other residents and the care home team. The visit was organised in response to Care South’s ‘Make a Wish’ initiative which encourages care home residents to share hobbies, passions and interests they once enjoyed but are now unable to pursue without the home’s support. The resident’s dedicated care home team then brings the wish to life.

Myrna and the other residents toured the museum before finding the water colour painting ‘The Darkened Bus Station’ by Eustace Nash, which focuses on the interior of the old Bournemouth bus station on Exeter Road. A plaque next to the painting describes how the artwork was hung at the ‘War Artists and Bournemouth Arts Club’ exhibition in 1940, which was attended by 4,000 people despite limited opening and blackout regulations at the time.

At the end of her visit, Myrna spoke to the staff at the Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum about her father’s artwork. They kindly gave her a print of the piece to take home with her to go on display at the home.

Myrna said: “It was lovely to visit the Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum again, as it brought back many memories of my father. He was such a wonderful man. I am also very grateful to the team at Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum for gifting me a print of one of his most famous works as I didn’t previously have a copy of it to look at and enjoy.”

Georgie Powell, Home Manager at Marjorie House, said:
“It was a pleasure for the team to enable Myrna to go and see her father’s artwork on display as part of our Make a Wish initiative. She has fond memories of watching him paint and bring these artworks to life so it was lovely for her to see that his talent lives on for everyone to enjoy. At Marjorie House, we are keen to support our residents to reconnect with the people, places and things that matter most to them. We believe that every resident should live a fulfilling life full of the experiences that they enjoy.”