Woman enjoyed respite break so much she relocates permanently

At Friends of the Elderly’s residential care home, The Lawn, in Alton, Hampshire, respite break to full-time resident, Lynda Godfrey has been sharing her extraordinary life experiences with the care team. 

Lynda, who has been a full-time resident at The Lawn since August 2022, originally visited the care home for a respite break. She said:

“My family wanted me to be looked after properly. I had carers at home, but they felt I needed a bit more support, so a respite break was a good choice for me to see how I liked living in a residential care home environment. My respite break went so well that my family and I thought The Lawn was the best place for me, so we made the decision together to make this lovely care home my permanent home.”

Lynda was born in Guildford in October 1939 and grew up in the historic Surrey town, attending The Merrow Grange School, a Convent school run by The Daughters of Mary and Joseph.

Lynda married her Husband David, and together they decided to buy and run a pub. Lynda said:

“We brought our pub in Banbury in Oxfordshire. It was the local village pub and we loved running it together. We had the pub for about six years and became good friends with lots of the locals. I served behind the bar, was the in-house cleaner and did all the cooking. There was never a dull moment.

“We turned the attached next-door building into a flat so that my Mum could be close to us and we also lived next door to the pub as well as upstairs. It was a big area with lots of storage space which was handy. I have great memories of our time at the pub. We would host lots of parties, especially our annual New Year’s Eve event, which was great fun.  I have lots of funny stories, but none that I could repeat.”

Alongside running their pub, David owned racehorses. Lynda continued:

“We both had a love of horses. I used to ride when I was a child, but as I got older, I preferred to stay out of the saddle and just watch them race. David had a jockey to train and race his horses, so luckily, I didn’t have to be involved with that job.

“We chose the horses for their good temperament; handsome looks and how well they had done in previous races. The stables were located at the racecourse and we would go there all the time. The horses raced all over the UK, but Ascot is my favoured racecourse, it’s such a grand place.”

Lynda has immersed herself into life at The Lawn and has adapted so well to living at the care home. Alina Gutu, the Registered Manager at The Lawn said:

“Lynda is a lovely lady and a much-loved and highly thought of member of The Lawn family. Lynda enjoyed her respite break so much that, together with her family, decided it was the perfect place for her to come and live permanently; it’s wonderful to have her here with us.”

Lynda concluded:

“The respite break was a great way for me to test the waters and see if I liked living at The Lawn, which I thoroughly did. Everyone here is so nice and friendly. I am so well looked after and feel so safe, I couldn’t wish for a better place to be.

“I was asked recently what advice I would pass on to the younger generation. I’d have to say be good to others and treat people as you would like to be treated – oh, and spend all your money and enjoy yourself because you can’t take it with you.”