Hastings care home residents make wedding magical for local couple

Lifestyles assistant at Hastings Court care home, Chloe Oliver-Taylor, and her partner, Matt, were planning a celebration with 70 family members and friends at Crowhurst Park in Battle in October. But the pandemic meant their party was cut to just 15, their vows were shortened and they weren’t allowed to exchange rings.

Chloe’s colleagues at Hastings Court stepped up and with the help of residents, created the big wedding the couple had been hoping for.

After celebrating the impending nuptials with a hen party in the home’s bistro, Lifestyles Manager, Kimberley Mann, set about organising the big day. She said the event was also about creating memories for the residents.

“We wanted to bring a bit of magic into the home and that’s exactly what we did,” she said. “Residents can’t make memories with their families at the moment, or go out and be part of these kinds of events, so we thought we’d bring that experience to them. It really made them feel like they were part of Chloe’s big day.”

Matt, who volunteers with the lifestyles team when not working as an emergency medical technician, chose resident David Lee as his best man as the two would regularly go fishing together before the lockdown. Resident, Roger Taylor, walked Chloe down the aisle and Clare Braybon, who’s lived at the 80-bedroomed home for four years, fulfilled a lifelong dream to be a bridesmaid at the age of 60.

“It was a wish come true for me,” said Clare. “It was a wonderful day and I still can’t believe I can keep my dress!”

Chloe had stopped off at the home on the way to the real ceremony so residents could see her dress and wish her well.

“The residents are like family to me, I tell them everything, so they had to be part of my big day,” she said. “I couldn’t have a full service or a proper reception then and am so grateful that I could do those things with everyone at Hastings Court.”

Hastings Court has remained COVID-free. Catering staff created a wedding cake for Matt and Chloe, and Sainsbury’s donated flowers to make bouquets and decorate the home.

Resident Rhona Handcock did a reading and wished the couple vitality, understanding, contentment and memories.

Kimberley said: “There aren’t many jobs where you can build such a relationship with the people you work wit. We were able to give Matt and Chloe a special day and our residents a wonderful experience. and they really felt like they belonged.”

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