Some stories remind us why we do what we do. Hazel’s is one of them.
Hazel first came through the doors of Manor Croft not as a resident, but as a devoted daughter. Her mother, Annie, moved in for what was meant to be a short-term stay and ended up calling Manor Croft home for four and a half wonderful years.
“I chose to come to Manor Croft Care Home because I knew it had the best reputation,” Hazel remembers. “My mum was here, also my cousin stayed here twice. I phoned him when he was here and he said he was so happy here. I said to my family, if I am going to move, I only want to go to Manor Croft.”
Every Night, Every Weekend
For four and a half years, Hazel and her family made the journey to see Annie without fail. “We came to see her every night and also weekends,” she says. “Her room was just like mine, exactly how I like it. She was very settled here.”
One of Hazel’s favourite memories is of a singer performing at the home. “It was a lovely day, we were all singing along, all our family joined in,” she recalls fondly, a moment captured in a treasured photograph of Hazel and Annie together.
Friendships That Lasted Years
It wasn’t just Annie who found a home at Manor Croft, Hazel did too, in the friendships she built with staff along the way. Two names stand out in particular: Ann and Annette.
“I made friends with staff whilst I was coming to see Mum, and we stayed friends for years,” Hazel says. “We had tea and cake every Tuesday.”
Annette, who worked as a nurse at Manor Croft, would go on to become a resident herself in later years, before sadly passing away nearly two years ago. Ann remains a close friend and regular visitor to Hazel to this day, a friendship that began over cups of tea and has lasted well over a decade.
Cyril the Squirrel
These days, Hazel is a much-loved presence at Manor Croft in her own right. Known across the home for her kindness and her wonderful sense of humour, she has brought a little extra joy to daily life, quite literally, in the form of Cyril.
Hazel adores squirrels, so much so that she arranged for a bench and a squirrel ornament, affectionately named Cyril, to be placed just outside her bedroom window. Now she can watch the squirrels from her window every single day. It’s become something of a ritual for staff too, who like to sit on the bench and wave up to Hazel through the glass; a small, simple gesture that never fails to make her smile.
A Story Worth Sharing
From daughter to friend to resident, Hazel’s journey with Manor Croft spans years and generations. It’s a story about the small moments. It’s tea and cake, a wave through a window, a song shared with family, that add up to something much bigger: a genuine sense of home.
“She was very settled here,” Hazel said of her mother. Looking at Hazel today, settled in her own room with Cyril keeping watch outside her window, it’s clear that sense of belonging has carried on.
Manor Croft Care Home is proud to share the stories of the residents, families and staff who make our home so special. If you’d like to find out more about life at Manor Croft, get in touch with our team today: 0303 330 0058
