Stroud care home couple reveal their secret to a happy marriage this Valentine’s Day

 

Love was in the air at a Stroud care home when one couple shared their love story and secrets to a happy marriage as part of a Valentine's themed celebration. 

To celebrate Valentine’s Day, the team at Care UK’s Scarlet House, on Westward Road, arranged a romantic dance for residents, including much-loved couple Barbara and Derick Acock, aged 85 and 84. The pair had the chance to reminisce over their 73 years together, including 61 years of marriage. 

The special celebration included a romantic dance in the home’s Riverside Suite, which had been decorated with banners and balloons for the special occasion. The happy couple reminisced about their early days together. During the celebration of love, they also revealed their secrets to a happy marriage. 

Derick said that the biggest secret to a successful marriage is not a secret at all, and that it was simply about: “Being in love.” 

He added: “Barbara is and always will be the girl of my dreams. I listen to every word she says!”

Barbara, on the hand, said that a long and happy marriage was down to “plain luck”.

The couple met at George Dixon Grammar school in Birmingham when they were just 12 years old, and they instantly got along, even having their first date in the playground. Derick thought Barbara was “wonderful.”

After 12 years together, the couple married in 1963 at St. Martin in the Bullring, Birmingham. They later moved to Gloucester, where they began their family and now have three daughters and a granddaughter.

Reflecting on their relationship, the couple said that they have been very fortunate to have led a fantastic life together and Derek said: “I am very lucky.” 

Suzannah Tullett, Home Manager at Scarlet House, said: “We were delighted to host a romantic afternoon of dancing this Valentine's Day for the fabulous duo that is Barbara and Derik.

“Celebrating Valentine’s Day has allowed many of the residents here at Scarlet House to share their advice and wisdom about relationships and marriage, which we could all learn a lot from. It’s wonderful to hear everyone’s happy memories and celebrate all these wonderfully long and happy relationships.  

“We’d like to say thank you to Barbara and Derick for sharing their love story with us, they truly are the perfect match!”

Scarlet 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 plenty of space for leisure activities and hobbies and includes its own cinema, hair and beauty salon, pub and café.