Banbury care home couples reveal their secrets to a happy marriage this Valentine’s Day

 

“Don’t keep secrets” was just one piece of relationship advice shared by couples at a care home in Banbury when they enjoyed a very special Valentine’s Day celebration.

Love was in the air when the team at Care UK’s Seccombe Court, on Banbury Road, arranged a special celebration for four residents and their spouses, who have been together for a combined 240 years. Everyone was encouraged to reminisce about their early days together and reveal their secrets to a long and happy marriage. 

The heart-warming afternoon, which was dedicated to love, laughter, and lasting relationships, had each couple filled with excitement as they were dressed to the nines to enjoy champagne, a three-course meal, and a cake thoughtfully prepared by the kitchen team.

Adding to the ambience of the event, the dining room was filled with heart-shaped balloons and there were rose petals scattered on the tables. 

Joining the celebrations was resident and former Bishop Dr. Anthony ‘Tony’ Russell, 82, and his wife Sheila, who have been married for 58 years. They met in 1965 on horses while Tony was at Theological College, where they said it was love at first sight. 

Romance grew on their first date at the South Oxfordshire Hunt Ball and they later married in 1966 in Dorchester Abbey and went on to have four children. 

When asked what advice they would give to young couples and for their secret to a happy marriage, the pair agreed that you must “Spend time with each other and work hard on the relationship” and to “always defer to your other half.” 

Also joining the special celebration was 91-year-old resident Diana Lambert and her husband Keith. The couple first met at a dance at the Winter Gardens, when Keith sold Diana a raffle ticket. Their romance blossomed right away and they wed in 1959 at St Lawrence Church at a small ceremony with 40 guests. 

Together the couple had two daughters who went on to bring five grandchildren and two great grandchildren into the family. 

Reflecting on their relationship, Keith and Diana shared that the secret to a long and happy relationship was to “Laugh and be loyal to each other. It will all work out if you go through your troubles together.”

Resident Michael Timms, 85, and his wife Hazel also joined the celebration of love at Seccombe Court. The couple met in 1961 at Mary Trumps Dancing School in Banbury, where they instantly had a ‘deep attraction’ to each other. 

The couple went to London to see the sights for their first date, followed by watching The Sound of Music at the theatre. They married just five years later, in 1966 at St Mary’s Church in Banbury. 

When asked to give relationship advice to younger people, the couple said to “Keep the love alive with kindness, honesty and romance” and stressed the importance of “tolerance, patience and forgiveness.” Faith and prayer are also central to their relationship. 

The last couple to join the dinner was 81-year-old resident Helen and her husband David Carter, who met in 1966 at a pub in West Kensington and have been together ever since, after a romantic first date at an Italian restaurant in the West End. That same year, the couple tied the knot at the Roman Catholic Parish Church in East Acton. 

Together the couple had two children, Jeremy and Anna, who also each have one son and one daughter and brought four great-grandchildren into the family. When asked what advice they would give to young couples, the pair said to “share everything and never keep secrets.”

Wojciech Kuczkowski, General Manager at Seccombe Court, said: “Tony and Sheila, Diana and Keith, Michael and Hazel, and Helen and David are four love stories for the ages. We loved organising a special ‘date night’ for each of them and witnessing so many years of love in one room. I’d like to say a special thank you to our wonderful team and our chef for creating such a fantastic menu for the evening.  

“Here at Seccombe Court, love is certainly in the air, and it’s been wonderful to encourage so many of the residents to reminisce and share fond memories from their own marriages and relationships. Many wise words were shared that we should all take onboard. 

“We’d like to say thank you to all the happy couples for sharing their stories and proving that true love certainly does stand the test of time.” 

Designed to enable residents to live active and fulfilled lives, while also promoting independence, Seccombe Court incorporates plenty of space for leisure activities and hobbies. The home provides full-time residential, dementia and nursing care, as well as short-term respite care, with luxury facilities including its own cinema, café and hair and beauty salon.