Whitstable care home resident, 80, has giraffe-ic time at zoo

A resident at a care home in Whitstable has been left ‘neck over heels’ after a giraffe feeding experience.

Jane Ann Gold, 80 and resident at Care UK’s Harrier Lodge on Thanet Way, visited Wingham Wildlife Park to meet and feed a group of spotted furry friends, bringing back fond memories of her childhood.

Jane Ann has always loved giraffes, but they began to hold a special place in her heart when her son, Simon, took such a liking to them as well.

She said: “I have lovely memories of local trips to the zoo and to this day, my son’s home is filled with giraffe-themed decorations.”

When the team at Harrier Lodge heard Jane Ann reminiscing about stories such as this, they knew they had to reunite her with her favourite animals.

During the special trip, the park’s team shared plenty of information about giraffes – but one fun fact really stuck out for Jane Ann.

She said: “I still can’t believe that a giraffe’s tongue can be up to 18 inches in length!”

Jane Ann also took the opportunity to visit some of her other favourite animals during the visit, including penguins, lions and wild birds, and ended the day by being presented with a certificate from her giraffe feeding experience.

She added: “I’m very excited to show these photos and my certificate to my family, especially my son.

“I loved the whole day, but getting to feed the giraffes was definitely the highlight. I didn’t expect to get so close to multiple giraffes at once!”

Jane Ann’s experience was made possible thanks to Care UK’s Wishing Tree initiative, which encourages residents to suggest ideas for new hobbies they’d like to try, places they’d like to visit or even activities linked to past careers. From skiing trips to a fish and chip supper, the programme is designed to help residents lead fun, meaningful lives.

Susan Simmonds, Home Manager at Harrier Lodge, said: “It was a truly memorable day for all of us.

“Jane Ann has always spoken about her love of giraffes, so it was wonderful to make this wish come true. Experiences like this help residents to relive cherished moments and create new ones.

“We’d like to say a big thank you to the team at Wingham Wildlife Park for welcoming us and making it such a great day.”

Harrier Lodge is a purpose-built care home that has been designed to enable residents to lead active and fulfilling lives, while also promoting independence. The expert team provides full-time residential, nursing and specialist dementia care, as well as short-term respite care, for up to 65 older people in Whitstable. The home incorporates plenty of space for leisure activities and hobbies, including its own cinema, hair and beauty salon and pub.