Reminiscence session on Blackpool, at St Winifreds Residential Care Centre

St Winifreds residents had fun talking about their memories of Blackpool.

Last week, residents of St Winifreds Residential Care Centre enjoyed a reminiscence session on Blackpool – a seaside resort in Lancashire, famous for its tower, pier, zoo, illuminations and Pleasure Beach. It was a very sought after holiday destination in the 1940s and 50s.

On asking the ladies and gents whether they’d ever holidayed in Blackpool, they stated the following:

“Oooh yes, I remember eating fish & chips out of newspaper. You’re not allowed to do that now, I don’t know why, it made them taste so much better.”

“I remember walking along the pier wearing a ‘kiss me quick hat’, we had so much fun.”

“I remember the lights, they were amazing, all lit up along the golden mile.”

The illuminations attract a lot of people to Blackpool, and one of our ladies is right – they stretch the whole length of the golden mile, and all the trams are decorated with lights too. Activity Co-ordinator Pat goes to Blackpool twice every year, and even though the trams are now all modernised, it is still a great place to visit.

One resident said, “In the summertime it was lovely to take the children to the beach which had a fun fair and donkey rides. It kept them entertained for the whole day. When they had enough of swimming and making sandcastles, the fair was called Blackpool Pleasure Beach and I think it still is, isn’t it?”

Another resident reminisced about the dancing – she and her husband used to go to Blackpool for the dancing and the shows, “Oh what fun we had. I would take my little dancing shoes and dance the night away. They were the best days – I can still remember it all now.”

Many changes have been made over the years but the old Blackpool still remains – the promenade, the lights, fish & chips, horse & carriage rides, and the 3 piers. Blackpool is very popular for “Hen” and “Stag” celebrations now – big groups of friends celebrating their last bit of freedom before getting married. They usually stay in Blackpool for a whole weekend, booking into one of the many bed and breakfasts. Some of these used to cost 6d, but now they can cost anything up to £500 per couple per weekend which is an extortionate price considering you can go on holiday abroad for that price!

Many residents commented, “We had so much of a good time in Blackpool, visiting the fortune tellers. Are they still there?” One lady said, “I always wanted to go into one of those, but never did because I was too scared of what they would tell me.”

Please contact us at the Home to arrange a visit. Feel free to talk to staff and residents about what it's like to live at St Winifreds.

Go to www.nellsar.com for more information on St Winifreds Residential Care Centre.

St Winifreds Residential Care Centre 236 London Road, Deal, Kent CT14 9PP Tel: 01304 375 758 Email: st.winifreds@nellsar.com

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