Residents at a Sale care home rallied around for a very special celebration

Team members at Care UK’s Oakfield Croft, on Oakfield, served up a day of fun when they organised a Wimbledon-inspired party for residents, including retired-tennis player and coach, 89-year-old Margaret McCance.

Having had a passion for tennis since she was a child, Margaret played tennis for a number of years at Sale Sports Club. In 2001, Margaret’s performance and skill saw her take home a trophy for Tennis World Ladies Champions, before later hanging up her racket to become a coach and mentor junior players starting out their tennis journeys at the very same club.

As part of the special celebration, team members went all out to pay homage to Margaret and her love for the sport, surprising her with a collage of photographs showcasing highlights of her tennis career.

The home also invited Colin Grant, Head Coach at Claremont Tennis Club, to show off his serve and share his expertise on how to ace a game. Colin and Margaret had a friendly game of tennis, where Colin named her “Champion of the Day” and she was presented with a blow-up trophy. 

Continuing the Wimbledon-inspired fun, everyone enjoyed strawberries and cream and were treated to a glass Pimm’s or two.

Commenting on her special celebration, Margaret said: “The Wimbledon party brought back some lovely memories for me. Tennis used to be my life, I played three or four times a week and I loved it – I was better at doubles and used to enjoy playing with my good friend, Stephen Hodkinson.”

Daniel Cole, Home Manager at Oakfield Croft, added: “We had a lovely afternoon hosting our very own Wimbledon-inspired party for residents and surprising Margaret – everyone had a ball.  

“We always like to go the extra mile for residents here at Oakfield Croft, and ensuring residents can continue to enjoy their hobbies and favourite pastimes is incredibly important. Margaret speaks so passionately about her love for tennis and especially her time at Sale Tennis Club, so we were really excited to host such a special day for her.

“Margaret was thrilled when we surprised her with the collage, it was great to hear her memories of her years playing and coaching tennis, and we were all excited to meet Colin and watch them both enjoy a friendly game. It was a fantastic afternoon talking all things tennis, and we were pleased to be able to give Margaret the opportunity to reminisce about a sport that has meant so much to her since her childhood.”

Oakfield Croft has been rated ‘Good’ in all five areas by the Care Quality Commission and was named a Top 20 care home for the second year in a row. The home is designed to enable residents to live active and fulfilling lives, while also promoting independence. The care home incorporates space for hobby and leisure activities. The layout of the building is configured into a series of individual suites, each having a dedicated lounge/dining room to help facilitate the creation of close-knit communities, as well as facilities like a cinema, coffee shop and hair salon. 

Residents at a Sale care home rallied around for a very special celebration.

Team members at Care UK’s Oakfield Croft, on Oakfield, served up a day of fun when they organised a Wimbledon-inspired party for residents, including retired-tennis player and coach, 89-year-old Margaret McCance.

Having had a passion for tennis since she was a child, Margaret played tennis for a number of years at Sale Sports Club. In 2001, Margaret’s performance and skill saw her take home a trophy for Tennis World Ladies Champions, before later hanging up her racket to become a coach and mentor junior players starting out their tennis journeys at the very same club.

As part of the special celebration, team members went all out to pay homage to Margaret and her love for the sport, surprising her with a collage of photographs showcasing highlights of her tennis career.

The home also invited Colin Grant, Head Coach at Claremont Tennis Club, to show off his serve and share his expertise on how to ace a game. Colin and Margaret had a friendly game of tennis, where Colin named her “Champion of the Day” and she was presented with a blow-up trophy. 

Continuing the Wimbledon-inspired fun, everyone enjoyed strawberries and cream and were treated to a glass Pimm’s or two.

Commenting on her special celebration, Margaret said: “The Wimbledon party brought back some lovely memories for me. Tennis used to be my life, I played three or four times a week and I loved it – I was better at doubles and used to enjoy playing with my good friend, Stephen Hodkinson.”

Daniel Cole, Home Manager at Oakfield Croft, added: “We had a lovely afternoon hosting our very own Wimbledon-inspired party for residents and surprising Margaret – everyone had a ball.  

“We always like to go the extra mile for residents here at Oakfield Croft, and ensuring residents can continue to enjoy their hobbies and favourite pastimes is incredibly important. Margaret speaks so passionately about her love for tennis and especially her time at Sale Tennis Club, so we were really excited to host such a special day for her.

“Margaret was thrilled when we surprised her with the collage, it was great to hear her memories of her years playing and coaching tennis, and we were all excited to meet Colin and watch them both enjoy a friendly game. It was a fantastic afternoon talking all things tennis, and we were pleased to be able to give Margaret the opportunity to reminisce about a sport that has meant so much to her since her childhood.”

Oakfield Croft has been rated ‘Good’ in all five areas by the Care Quality Commission and was named a Top 20 care home for the second year in a row. The home is designed to enable residents to live active and fulfilling lives, while also promoting independence.

The care home incorporates space for hobby and leisure activities. The layout of the building is configured into a series of individual suites, each having a dedicated lounge/dining room to help facilitate the creation of close-knit communities, as well as facilities like a cinema, coffee shop and hair salon.