Care home throws 'moo-ving' birthday party for retired farmer, who knew all his cows by name

A 90-year-old retired farmer, who knew all of his 44 cows by name, was treated to a cow-themed birthday party at his care home.

Clifford Norris was a dairy farmer for his entire working life. He worked on his 60-acre family-run dairy farm in Somerset as a boy, later inheriting the farm from his father.

Mr Norris now lives at Knights' Grove Bupa Care Home, where he reads farming magazines and watches farming programmes on TV.

He said: “I loved being a dairy farmer. Over my entire lifetime I raised too many cows to count, but my herds usually had 44 at a time. That’s a lot of cows to care for, but I loved each one.”

Abbie Bell, care worker at Knights' Grove, said: “Looking after Clifford is a pure joy. He is a pleasure to be around and always making jokes. We love sitting in the lounge together and chatting about the different types of cows he used to have, like his Friesian cows, for example. We always make jokes about me looking after his cows when he gets old.”

To make his birthday extra special, the care staff decorated his room with a cow theme. “We got a balloon and a cow shaped cake to remind him of his old herd. When he saw the decorations, his face lit up; he thought the cake was hilarious. Going the extra mile to make residents smile is what I love about working here, it’s so rewarding to make others happy,” said Ms Bell.

When asked about his birthday, Mr Norris said: “I had a brilliant 90th birthday. I thought my decorations were very funny and the homemade cake was delicious. I want to thank everyone for making my day so special; particularly my carer, Sam, who went above and beyond to bake my cake.”

Anne-Mary Tolici, manager of the care home, said: “I feel so proud to be part of this amazing Knights' Grove family. Seeing my staff going above and beyond reminds me once again of the role we play in our residents’ lives, and how dearly they care for every individual at the home. Many staff members often spend their free time at Knights' Grove to make each resident’s wish come true – even if it’s to bake a cow cake! The whole team made sure that Clifford had an unforgettable birthday with joy and laughter, it has been the highlight of my month.”

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