Cambridge care home hits back of the net with resident wish

Residents from a care home in Cambridge had a ball when they were granted VIP access to their local football club. 

With many avid Cambridge United U’s fans living at Care UK’s Heathlands House, on Bullen Close, residents were over the moon when the home’s dedicated lifestyle team made their footballing dreams come true with a very special tour around the Abbey Stadium. 

Six lifelong football fans donned their amber and black shirts as they headed to the home of Cambridge United FC for a specially arranged dementia-friendly experience. Residents were given a grand tour of the stadium, including the player’s dressing room and the dugout. 

93-year-old Ron Charlton, a Heathlands House resident who has supported the Us since he was a child, said: “I had a wonderful time – I used to watch Cambridge United with my son and enjoyed playing football in school, so it was great to be back on the pitch!”

Razvan Stanbeca, Home Manager at Heathlands House, added: “We have lots of football fans here at Heathlands House – with many residents who never fail to miss watching a match in the lounge, no matter who’s playing. 

“When the team reached out to Cambridge United FC to see if we could bring some residents along, we were delighted to be invited along for a special, dementia-friendly tour of Abbey Stadium. Our very own Us fans were delighted to get a behind-the-scenes look at the club – one which many have supported since they were children – and it proved to be a wonderful chance to exchange treasured memories of trips to games in younger days.

“I’d like to extend a huge thank you to the team over at Cambridge United FC for providing such an inclusive experience, as well as to the team here at Heathlands House for arranging a wonderful day – we’ve all been singing ‘I’ve got a lovely bunch of coconuts’ ever since!”

Designed to enable residents to live active and fulfilled lives, while also promoting independence, Heathlands House incorporates space for hobby and leisure activities both indoors and out. The layout of the building has been configured into a series of individual suites, each having a dedicated lounge and dining room to help facilitate the creation of close-knit communities.