89-year-old care home resident steps back in time as a cathedral steward

A care home resident had a blast from the past when he returned to the cathedral where he worked for over 15 years. 

When the team at Care UK’s Salisbury Manor, on Shapland Close, learned that 89-year-old resident, John Clipson, was keen to relive fond memories of being a cathedral steward at Salisbury Cathedral, they were determined to make his wish to step back in time and re-visit the cathedral come true. 

 

John was proud to be a member of the Guild of Cathedral Stewards. He stewarded services in the cathedral for over 15 years, mostly on Sundays, as well as special services including funerals, Christmas, and various festivals. 

He loved his job and particularly enjoyed the music of the choir and organ. He also liked meeting the congregation and the many visitors to the cathedral.

He said: “Welcoming the visitors was often interesting part of the job – I helped at Sir Edward Heath’s funeral during which I escorted Margaret Thatcher and others to their seat.”

After the team learned of John’s history at Salisbury Cathedral, they knew they wanted to surprise him with a special trip back to visit Salisbury Cathedral. 

During the visit, John took team members and other residents on a tour around the cathedral and enjoyed reminiscing about his career there. Keen to remember the day, residents also had the chance to show off their photography skills, by using professional photography equipment to capture photos of the cathedral. All photos taken have since been framed and take pride of place in the home’s café for visitors to enjoy. 

Skye Williams, General Manager at Salisbury Manor, said: “John often talks about when he used to work as a cathedral steward and how much he loved his job, and so we were thrilled to help take him back to the cathedral to relive happy memories.

“Here at Salisbury Manor, we are always looking for ways we can encourage residents to live active and fulfilling lives and so we were delighted to help make John’s wish come true. It was wonderful to see his face light up as he entered the cathedral he once worked at and to hear so many stories from his younger years working as a cathedral steward.  

“I’d like to thank Salisbury Cathedral for hosting us and to John for sharing his fascinating memories.”

When Salisbury Manor became a Care UK care home in January 2022, the team installed a ‘Wishing Tree’, an initiative launched by Care UK which allows residents to suggest ideas for new hobbies they’d like to try, places they’d like to visit and activities they’d like to do. This encourages residents to live fulfilling lives – from flying a plane to a fish and chip supper, no wish is too big or small.