Quorn care home resident’s motorbike wish speedily comes true

 A Quorn care home organised a hair-raising surprise for a resident wanting to relive his youth. 

When the team at Care UK’s Lonsdale Mews, on Farley Way, discovered that 73-year-old resident Brian Harrison was an avid motorcyclist in his youth, they were determined to make his wish to relive his biker days come true. 

Brian has always had a passion for bikes, and at 16-years-old saved up money, from his daily paper round and summer holiday jobs, including car washing, farming and gardening, to buy his first motorbike, a Royal Enfield 350cc Bullet.

While growing up Brian lived in Lymm, in Cheshire, and so would use his bike to visit his friends who lived five miles away, in Stockton Heath and Grappenhall. He particularly enjoyed a day trip on his Royal Enfield Bullet to Abersoch with his mates.

When Brian turned 17, he sold his bike and bought a 1964 Mini 850, as his love for motorbikes took second place while he went to university, got married and moved to Leicester to start a family.

In 1980 Brian reignited his passion and bought the frame for a Velocette 500cc Venom (575 GDT) and enjoyed building the bike from scratch. Every Tuesday evening Brian and his best friend from university, Nick, would take their bikes out together for a spin.

Later in life, Brian sold the Velocette, buying a BMW and then a Kawasaki 600cc ZZR, but his final and favourite bike was a Yamaha 650cc Thundercat.

Eager to help Brian reminisce about his fond memories of building and riding motorcycles, the team arranged for Brian to visit the National Motorcycle Museum in Birmingham. 

Brian said: “It was good to see the old bikes again, especially the Velocette. They were great days.”

The visit was part of the home’s Wishing Tree Initiative, which encourages residents to put wishes forward, allowing them to reconnect with a past hobby or try something completely new – from flying a plane to enjoying a fish and chip supper, no wish is too big or small.

Toby Sturgess, Home Manager at Lonsdale Mews care home, said: “We had a wonderful afternoon sharing Brian’s passion and learning more about his love of motorbikes. 

“Our Wishing Tree initiative is a wonderful way for residents to share their ambitions and it’s hugely rewarding to be able to make these a reality. Brian loves to reminisce and look back at his collection of memorabilia from his motorcycling days, so it was an incredibly special moment to see his face light up when he saw the bikes.

“He’s had a smile on his face ever since, and so have we. I’d like to say a huge thank you to The National Motorcycle Museum for helping to make Brian’s day!”

Lonsdale Mews offers full-time residential and dementia care, as well as short-term respite. The home incorporates space for hobby and leisure activities and includes its own cinema, hairdressing salon and café. The layout of the building is configured into a series of individual suites, each having a dedicated lounge/dining room to help facilitate the creation of close-knit communities.