Dreams do come true: Local care home resident enjoys first ever birthday party at the age of 102

Hazelmere House Bupa Care Home have made local resident Phil Briggs’ 102nd birthday extra special by fulfilling one of his life-long dreams. Having never had a birthday party before, Phil’s wish this year was to have a big birthday bonanza to mark the milestone event.

Keen to fulfil Phil’s childhood dream, the team at Hazelmere House organised a day full of celebrations for him as part of Bupa’s #NeverTooLate initiative, which enables residents to experience new things at any age, and any time.

Hayley Gray, Activity Coordinator at Hazelmere House, worked with her colleagues and Phil’s friends at the care home to make sure that the day lived up to his hopes and dreams. The birthday bash included games such as pass the parcel and pin the tail on the donkey and all of Phil’s favourite refreshments, with celebrations being topped off with his tipple of choice, a large Baileys.

When asked how it felt to be turning 102, Phil commented: “I am so grateful to the team at Hazelmere House for making my birthday the most special day possible and it was such a fantastic surprise. I’ve always dreamt of having a big party with my nearest and dearest and I’m so happy that it was able to become a reality. My advice for a long and happy life is to stay active and keep cycling!”

[Joanne Thackwell], Home Manager at Hazelmere House, commented: “We were so pleased to make Phil’s dream of having a birthday party come to life on his 102nd Birthday. He is a joy to have in the home and always throws himself into activities. Celebrating milestone birthdays is incredibly important to us at Hazelmere House, and occasions such as these really do boost our residents’ wellbeing and bring such joy to the home.”

Having resided in Wilmslow since he was a child, Phil has seen the town ebb and flow through the years and still enjoys being a local all these years later. Phil has three loving sons - Michael, Richard and David, whom he enjoys spending his time with, in addition to his three grandchildren.

Phil’s career as an engineer was kickstarted during his time serving in the army for five years. During World War Two, he served in Algeria and Vesuvius as a Captain. Upon his return, he worked on cloth guiding equipment before moving to Fielden Electronics and eventually setting up his own factory with a friend in Trafford Park, which he enjoyed running for 10 years. During his time here he also completed his PHD in Engineering and then went on to study a London Law Degree to further widen his knowledge, partly by correspondence and partly in person in Manchester.

At Hazelmere House Bupa Care Home, Phil is popular among residents and carers and regularly enjoys playing the piano for everyone and joining in group games, with his favourite tipple in hand - Baileys. He continues to take a keen interest in handy work at the home and can regularly be found fixing things on his work bench.

The team at Hazelmere House look forward to pursuing more #NeverTooLate initiatives for their residents throughout 2023.

Hazelmere House Bupa Care Home is situated in Wilmslow and welcomes residents in need of nursing or residential care, including those living with Huntington’s and Parkinson’s. For further information, please visit https://www.bupa.co.uk/care-services