Woking care home residents team up for matchday magic

Football fever has officially kicked off at a care home in Woking as residents welcomed a neighbouring home and the local community for a day of sporting fun.

Care UK’s Greenview Hall visited Kingsleigh, on Kingfield Road, to take part in a variety of football-related activities and join the nation in celebrating the huge summer of sport. 

Residents and guests enjoyed playing a series of football games including a penalty shootout, followed by a quiz. Delicious cake and fresh fruit, served alongside cold beers and an assortment of ice creams were also available, specially prepared by the home’s talented head chef.

One of the residents, 82-year-old Brian Hanes, is a former Walton and Hersham FC professional footballer, England under-21s player and Crystal Palace under-21s – unsurprisingly, he scored four winning shots on the day.

Brian said: “I had a lovely day surrounded by my family and friends here. I’m cheering England on for every game and fingers crossed they bring football home!”

The event was part of Care UK’s ‘Goal-den Moments' initiative, which aims to bring generations together and encourage residents to reminisce about cherished football memories with the local community while sharing new experiences.

Meera Govindapillai, Home Manager at Greenview Hall in West End, said: “We had a ball visiting Kingsleigh care home to take part in football games and quizzes!

“For many residents, football is more than just the beautiful game – it represents a lifetime of treasured memories and traditions. This event allowed us to honour these special moments and bring them to life once again.

“It was a wonderful opportunity to bring both homes and the local community together for a day of matchday magic. It was truly heartwarming to watch residents reminisce and share their favourite football stories from years gone by.

“We’d like to extend a huge thank you to those who joined us and made this a day to remember. With spirits high, everyone involved proved they still have plenty of goal-den skills to show off!”

For more information about Goal-den Moments, please visit careuk.com/goal-den-moments.

Designed to enable residents to lead active and fulfilling lives, while also promoting independence, Greenview Hall incorporates plenty of opportunities for hobbies and leisure activities. The home provides full-time residential, nursing and dementia care, as well as short-term respite care. The building is configured as a series of individual suites, each with a dedicated lounge/dining room to facilitate the creation of close-knit communities.