Witney care home resident receives an a-neigh-zing visitor

A resident at a care home in Witney was delighted when his wish to be reunited with his favourite animal came true.

When the team at Care UK’s Millers Grange, on Curbridge Road, learned that 82-year-old resident, Stephen ‘Steve’ Tolhurst, had grown up surrounded by horses and was keen to be reunited with the gentle animals again, they set out to make his wish a reality.

Having grown up on a farm in Wales, Steve spent many of his younger days riding horses and ponies, forming a strong bond with the caring creatures over the years. Despite not having seen the animals up-close since he was a child, Steve’s fond memories and love for the animals has remained strong.

To help fulfil Steve’s wish, the team arranged for Poppy, a Shetland pony from Dinky Ponies, to pay Steve and his fellow Millers Grange residents a surprise visit.

Speaking of the visit, Steve said: “I was delighted to meet Poppy, she was so lovely and calm. I’ve always loved horses and used to ride regularly – once, when I was younger, I was put on a shire horse above the collar so when he bent down to eat the grass, I fell off!”

The visit was part of the home’s Wishing Tree initiative, which encourages residents to put wishes forward, allowing them to reconnect with a past hobby or try something completely new – from flying on a plane to enjoying a fish and chip supper, no wish is too big or small.

Alison Parry, Home Manager at Millers Grange, said: “Steve is always sharing stories of his childhood growing up on the farm and riding horses, so the team knew he’d be delighted by the chance to see the animals up close again.

“Our Wishing Tree initiative is a great way for residents to share their dreams and passions, and it’s incredibly rewarding to be able to make these a reality. Steve and his friends at the home had a wonderful time meeting Poppy and it provided a lovely opportunity to exchange treasured memories.

“I’d like to extend a big thank you to Sarah, from Dinky Ponies, and the team here at Millers Grange for making Steve’s wish come true!”

Millers Grange is a modern care home which provides full-time residential, dementia and end-of-life care, as well as short-term respite care. Designed to enable its residents to live enjoyable and fulfilling lives, the care home has its very own cinema and hair salon, and there is plenty of space both in and outdoors for relaxation and recreation. 

To find out more about Millers Grange, please call Customer Relations Manager, Mark Young, on 01993 764730 or email mark.young@careuk.com

For general information about Care UK, please visit careuk.com/millers-grange