Heading Out With Frank
Published: 29/06/2017
All our customers have a wealth of life experience and past stories. We recently took one of our customers, Frank, out for lunch where we visited local Millbrooks Garden Centre and enjoyed a relaxing time. Frank, who is 92 and lives in Northfleet, has been one of our customers since 2016. Care Supervisor Sam arranged for him and his daughter Ruth to head out for afternoon tea where Frank also shared some of his fascinating history.
All our customers have a wealth of life experience and past stories. We recently took one of our customers, Frank, out for lunch where we visited local Millbrooks Garden Centre and enjoyed a relaxing time.Frank, who is 92 and lives in Northfleet, has been one of our customers since 2016. Care Supervisor Sam arranged for him and his daughter Ruth to head out for afternoon tea where Frank also shared some of his fascinating history.
In 1939, at the age of 14, Frank was sent by his parents to London where he worked at Harmsworth Press as a messenger boy before joining the Royal Royal Navy at the age of 17. He explained how he saw London Bridge having been flattened by a bomb along with his workplace damaged.
Frank has two brothers who were in the army, however he chose to join the Royal Navy in honour of his father who worked in the Royal Navy from the age of 14. When interviewed about joining the Royal Navy, Frank was asked whether he could swim and remember clearly jokingly commenting: ‘why do I need to swim, ain’t you got no ships..?’
At the age of 17, Frank joined the Royal Royal Navy as a Minesweeper and had three fairly near misses, where he was refused alternate deployment on a few different ships that were subsequently blown up in action.
He shared a memory of marking his 21st birthday in Totonto, where they needed to leave to escort some important dignitaries part way through the celebrations. Frank explained that (very different to today), they took the alcohol onto the ship to continue the party as the captain was a fan of the tipple!
Following the war, Frank purchased a plot of land in Northfleet where he brought up his daughter with his wife. This is where he continues to live today.
Sam commented:
I did not know this much about Frank’s history before today and had a really lovely time with him and his daughter Ruth at Millbrook Garden Centre.
It was great doing something different and I think it is very good that Bluebird Care has made the decision to take customers out occasionally.
I am looking forward to the next customer outing which we are currently planning for.
At Millbrook Garden Centre, Sam and Frank shared a pot of tea whilst Ruth had an americano. They went all out with Sam having a carrot cake, Frank enjoying an apple and sultana slice whilst his daughter Ruth tucked into a cheese scone.It was great doing something different and I think it is very good that Bluebird Care has made the decision to take customers out occasionally.
I am looking forward to the next customer outing which we are currently planning for.
We will be arranging our next customer outing soon which is just one of the many things we do as we provide our customers with a premium service.