Leeds care home residents celebrate Yorkshire Day with traditions and stories
To celebrate Yorkshire Day (August 1), Nesfield Lodge Dementia Care Home in Belle Isle, Leeds, took a trip down memory lane, with two of its oldest residents sharing stories and cherished traditions from their Yorkshire childhoods - all while sipping a proper cuppa of Yorkshire Tea!
Barbara Rowe, 93, born and raised in Beeston, fondly reminisced about her childhood: “Growing up in Leeds was brilliant. My friends lived nearby, and school was good. I have very fond memories,” she said, recalling seaside holidays in Scarborough and Flamborough with her family.
“We used to love going up to the coast, playing in the sea and enjoying fish and chips on our laps.”
Patricia (Pat) Unwin, 86, from Hunslet, fondly recalls her school days, admitting: “I loved going to school, though I was never very good at mathematics.”
But when it comes to food, there’s one thing she could never resist - Yorkshire puddings. “I’d always ask my mum for one on Christmas Day, but she’d say no, as they don’t belong on a Christmas dinner. Funnily, as I grew up and got married, this is a tradition I've carried on!”
One of Pat’s favourite memories is a family visit to York, where she got to explore the grand York Minster. She also fondly recalls holidays on the east coast, particularly in Whitby and Filey. “We would always count how many steps were left in Whitby’s famous 200 steps,” she laughs, recalling the fun she had with her family.
The entire home is marking Yorkshire Day with a celebration full of everything that makes Yorkshire great! There will be music from local artists, traditional dishes – including plenty of Yorkshire puddings, and so much more.
Nesfield Lodge Dementia Care Home in Belle Isle, Leeds, is part of the Orchard Care Homes group, which operates 23 care homes in the Midlands and the North of England.