Care home residents including royal pilot and palace secretary get ready to party at Jubilee

Care home residents up and down the country are preparing to party in honour of the Queen and celebrate her Platinum Jubilee.

Colten Care’s 21 care homes will be decorated with bunting and the flags will be flying during parties over the specially extended Bank Holiday weekend in June.

In the run-up, residents and staff have been busy making decorations, knitting royalty-themed tea cosies and rehearsing songs to perform and planning games.

Residents have also been sharing memories of the coronation and their thoughts on the Queen.

Former royal pilot Michael Harrington, who lives at Castle View in Poundbury, Dorset, flew members of the royal family, including the Queen, hundreds of times on trips during his years of service.

He said: “She was always immaculate and smooth. She knew exactly how to deal with people. She was very kind.”

At Abbey View in Sherborne, 100-year-old Michael Jones, a Spitfire pilot during World War Two, met the Queen at Buckingham Palace when he was awarded an OBE years later.

“Meeting the Queen was simply lovely,” said Michael. “She asked me if I was still flying planes. I replied: ‘I’m more of a passenger these days,’ to which she smiled. I found her so gracious and very personable.”

Another Abbey View resident, Eve Walsh Waring, actually worked as a personal assistant at Buckingham Palace after her retirement from government service.

Her official title at the Palace was Lady Clerk Correspondent in the Office of the Personal Secretary.

Eve said: “A friend told me of the position and I thought ‘nothing ventured, nothing gained’. In the end I worked there for five years and loved every moment of an incredible experience.”

Eve still has an autographed photo of the Queen and Prince Phillip dating from 1995 on her bedside table.

Fellow resident Margaret Webster revealed how in her younger adult years, she worked at the Chapter House in Westminster Abbey. She recalled: “One day the staff were told that the Queen was on her way and that we must just continue to work in the normal way. Well, obviously no-one could concentrate on work. And the next thing, the Queen appeared and spoke to the staff. We all found her a very gracious lady.”

Another Colten Care resident who worked at Buckingham Palace is Susie Chiesman, now living at Newstone House in Sturminster Newton.

Susie told care home staff of when she used to arrange flowers at the Palace. Her favourite memory is of going to Covent Garden in the early morning to the market where the fresh flowers were. “I would spend my time picking and matching colours that would suit the rooms,” said Susie. “I have wonderful memories of a happy time.”

Jill South, a resident at St Catherines View in Winchester talked about going to London to watch the Queen’s coronation on 2 June 1953. She said: “I went to watch the Queen’s coronation in London. I travelled by train with my friend and we stood at The Mall waiting.

“We managed to push our way to the front of the crowd and saw the Queen as she went past. We waved and cheered at her. We waited until it had all finished for her to come back again. We all cheered and waved again. The crowd was massive, there was lots of cheering and waving of hands and flags. It was just such a happy day. The Queen has done a great job after all these years and has done a lot for our country. I am a huge fan of the Queen and all she has done.”

Coronation memories from 70 years ago have also been shared by residents at Colten Care’s Chichester home, Wellington Grange.

Robin Bowley said: “I was only 12 when the Queen was crowned. My family didn't have a television but I was aware of lots of families renting TVs for the occasion. I watched footage of the coronation at the cinema. I greatly admire the Queen. She has been so steadfast over many years.”

Fellow resident Doris Englefield said: “I think the Queen is absolutely wonderful. She's never put a foot wrong despite having to deal with so many difficult family issues over the years. I remember watching the coronation on a very small screen at home with my family.”

At Kingfishers in New Milton, residents are making ribbon wreaths in red, white and blue and a further wreath made with pom poms will be in Jubilee purple. Among the residents creating the wreaths is Joyce Russell who at 96 is the same age as the Queen.

Recalling Her Majesty’s ascension to the throne and coronation, Joyce said: “I was 26 at the time and living at a naval base in Dunfermline, Scotland. When we heard of her ascension, I was excited that there would be a Queen. Myself, an uncle and two more family members had tickets for the actual Coronation Day celebrations in London. We had a viewing box in Northumberland Street and could watch the entire procession.”

As well as their garden parties, Colten Care residents will be able to watch the planting of commemorative Jubilee trees at each home.

Queen Elizabeth II is the first British monarch to reign for 70 years eclipsing Queen Victoria who on her death in 1901 had reigned for almost 64 years.

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