Banbury care home resident relives career with help from furry friends

A Banbury care home resident, who used to run a local pet shop, was delighted to see the home become a pet haven for the afternoon.

92-year-old Kathleen Robbins, who lives at Care UK’s Highmarket House, on North Bar Place, was thrilled when a host of furry friends hopped into the home – reminding her of her younger days running a local pet shop.

For 14 years, Kathleen ran Aquaria & Pet Supplies, on Church Lane. Kathleen first started running the shop after being approached by a friend who knew of her love for animals, continuing for over a decade until she retired. 

Passionate about helping pets find their forever homes, Kathleen was delighted to spend some quality time with animals from Lucia’s Tiny Farm, including a guinea pig, tortoise and some rabbits.

Kathleen said: “I absolutely loved working in the shop! I made lots of friends – you always had regulars who came in weekly who you got to know really well.

“We used to have a shop parrot, Olly, who would call me ‘Mrs R’ and make sure I was serving customers, telling me to ‘behave myself’ or ‘get on with it’!”

Francesca Cowley, Home Manager at Highmarket House, added: “We regularly have animals visiting us here at Highmarket House – animal therapy is a fantastic way to encourage a sense of purpose and promote relaxation, especially for older people, and having them visit always puts a smile on residents’ faces.

“The visit was especially meaningful for Kathleen, who has many treasured memories from her time running a local pet shop – she was delighted to meet the animals, and enjoyed exchanging stories with other residents of their own experiences.

“I’d like to extend a big thank you to the team for arranging a lovely afternoon for all involved, and especially to Lucia for bringing her lovely Tiny Farm into our home!”

Highmarket House is a state-of-the-art care home which provides full-time residential, nursing, dementia and short-term respite care. The care home incorporates space for hobby and leisure activities and includes its own cinema, hair salon and café.