Sandbanks Care Home Resident Leads AFC Bournemouth Team To Victory
A resident at a Sandbanks care home guided a Premier League footballer to victory in a series of football-themed games.
James Hill, a centre-back for AFC Bournemouth, visited Marjorie House on Crichel Mount Road near Sandbanks to view the facilities and play some seated football and beanbag throwing sessions with the residents.
He particularly struck up a friendship with Pam, a resident of Marjorie House and a keen football fan. Together they teamed up against the other care home residents and staff alongside AFC Bournemouth legend Steve ‘Fletch’ Fletcher. The afternoon was led by Steve Cuss and David Pudney from AFC Bournemouth Community Sports Trust, who host sessions across Care South’s Dorset-based care homes.
James said:
“Pam and I had a good partnership going during the games. She was my team captain and she led me through to many victories, which I was very happy about.
“Marjorie House is the best care home I’ve ever seen in terms of how the staff accommodate the residents’ individual needs. It is amazing. It feels like a community with lots of nice communal areas to sit in and the views from the balcony are incredible. It feels like such a friendly environment and so homely. It doesn’t feel like it’s a care home.”
Reflecting on steering her team to success, Pam said:
“James was wonderful. The games were such fun and it was good exercise. The AFC Bournemouth team made it special for us. I have always enjoyed watching football on a Saturday night. I like living at Marjorie House very much.”
Marjorie House is owned and operated by not-for-profit care home and care at home provider, Care South. The visit was arranged as part of Care South’s ongoing partnership with AFC Bournemouth. This enables care home residents, care home clients, and staff to get involved in a range of activities including weekly seated football sessions, meeting players, coffee mornings, and tours of the stadium.
Sebastian Wincelewski, Home Manager at Marjorie House, said:
“We were thrilled to welcome James Hill to look around our care home and meet our residents. It was wonderful to see Pam and our other residents engaged in the activities with James’s help and guidance. The seated football will now become a regular activity in Marjorie House, as part of Care South’s partnership with AFC Bournemouth, which brings joy, laughter and fun to the home while enabling the residents to stay active.”
The Marjorie House team are celebrating after the home was listed as one of the Top 20 Care Homes in the South West by industry website carehome.co.uk based on reviews from residents, relatives and their loved ones.
