Angmering care home resident’s wish to attend Strictly tour comes true

A resident at a care home in Angmering got her toes tapping when her dream to experience an iconic TV dance show was made a reality.

When the team at Care UK’s Ayton House, on Dappers Lane, learned former dancer Gillian Wilson wished to experience the thrills of a dance performance once again, they set strictly to work.

Gillian, 72, often tells of her love for dance, which was ignited by her mother’s passion for the art form. The pair would attend classes together, a tradition that began with salsa before they branched out to a variety of Latin and ballroom genres.

Despite living in Slough, the keen dancers travelled far and wide to events, performing in Windsor, Basingstoke and even the Isle of Wight.

So when the Ayton House team learned that Gillian wanted to see her favourite show, Strictly Come Dancing, in person, they organised a trip to the Brighton Centre for the Strictly the Professionals tour.

The team was also able reach out to the tour manager to secure Gillian exclusive backstage access to meet her favourite dancer on the show, Vito Copolla.

Gillian said: “This experience was the highlight of my life and it brought back memories of enjoying dancing with my Mum and watching Strictly on TV.

The visit 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 flying a plane to enjoying a fish and chip supper, no wish is too big or small for the team to try to grant.

Joel Fronda Ignacio, Home Manager at Ayton House, said: “Everyone knows Gillian loves to dance – she's always the first person up on the floor!

“She also loves watching Strictly Come Dancing, so when we heard about the live performance, we knew Gillian would love to be there.

“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. Gillian had a wonderful time and her face lit up when she spotted her favourite dancer!”

“I’d like to extend a big thank you to the team here at the home as well as the Strictly team for making Gillian’s dream come true.”

Ayton House is a state-of-the-art care home providing full-time residential and dementia care, as well as short-term respite care. Designed to enable residents to lead enjoyable and fulfilling lives, the home has its very own cinema, hair salon, café and bar, along with plenty of space – both indoors and out – for relaxation and recreation.