Care home reunites Frank with family for socially-distanced 100th birthday party

An outstanding care home spent months planning a socially-distanced birthday party for a 100 year-old man with family and friends to surprise him.

War veteran Frank Reed spent breakfast looking at his many birthday cards and video greetings before staff at the Dorset care home sang ‘Happy Birthday’ to him en masse in the garden.

Staff at Newstone House, which has been rated outstanding by the Care Quality Commission, had arranged for six of his friends, who are members of a luncheon club he attends, to arrive and serenade him outside the care home’s door.

While Frank was on a Skype call with his granddaughter Bethany who lives in Australia, four of his family members were secretly ushered into the back of the care home by staff and dressed up in full PPE.

Frank was greeted by the sight of his son Clive, his daughter Helen and their partners all sitting two metres apart. Wearing facemasks, aprons, gloves and shoe covers, his family raised a glass to toast him on his birthday.

Clive Reed said: “We can’t thank the staff enough for all the hard work they put in to make the day such a celebration, especially when you think of all the current restrictions they face.

“They were absolutely brilliant. We are so happy that dad is at Newstone. The home deserves the highest praise".

The family enjoyed a two-hour-long party with stout and cake as Frank opened birthday greetings from the Queen and Fulham FC - the local football club where he saw his first match aged eight in 1928.

“We are extremely proud of him reaching 100 years old", added Clive Reed.

“He has always been there for us, a constant in our lives.

"He’s not one to show a lot of emotion but he had a huge grin from ear to ear during his birthday and he hasn’t stopped talking about it, so we know he enjoyed it.”

Frank Reed, who has lived at Newstone House for three years, was a Staff Sergeant in the Royal Signals during World War Two. He served in North Africa and Italy and was twice mentioned in dispatches for his bravery. After his retirement in 1980, he and his late wife Joan moved to Marnhull.

At his surprise party, Frank Reed told the care home staff: “I thank you from the bottom of my heart for what you do for me, and a lot of other people as well. "We are all very grateful for what you do.”

The care home is run by Colten Care which operates 21 care homes in Hampshire, Dorset, Wiltshire and Sussex. Rebekah Goddard in the care home’s companionship team, said: “We were thrilled to make it possible for Frank and his son and daughter to be together for his party of the century, even if it was social distanced and people had to wear PPE.

“Judging by the smiles all round, it was well worth it for Frank and the family.”

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