Sevenoaks care home resident takes a trip down Memory Lane at Knole Park Golf Club

A RESIDENT at a care home in Sevenoaks has seen her wish come true with a trip to a local golf course to tee off at the first hole.

FORE!: Shirley Comber on the first tee at Knole Park.

Shirley Comber, who lives at Care UK’s Weald Heights, has had a keen interest in golf since the age of four and would often watch her uncle, professional golfer Sam King, play a round of golf.

Sam, best known for playing on three Ryder Cup teams, encouraged Shirley to take up her passion for golf. She became a member of Knole Park Golf Club in Sevenoaks, where she gained a handicap of 5, and won several medals for her achievements from 1945 until 1976, when she retired from golf to care for a member of her family.

Shirley’s wish was to tee off at the golf club where she had so many happy memories, so the team at Weald Heights organised a surprise visit to Knole Park Golf Club to make it happen. She was met by her cousin, the daughter of the late Sam King, and enjoyed a practice session before making her way to the first tee.

Shirley said: “I had a wonderful afternoon and will treasure this day forever. It was such a brilliant surprise – I cannot thank the team at Weald Heights enough for helping to arrange the trip.”

Weald Heights home manager, Maria Covington, said: “We always like to go the extra mile to grant the wishes of residents at Weald Heights. It was wonderful to see how happy and at home Shirley was on the golf course. Encouraging residents to continue lifelong hobbies is very important for wellbeing and allows residents to enjoy reminiscing about their younger years – and the nostalgic element to Shirley’s story made this wish particularly special. We’re really pleased that we could help make this dream come true for Shirley.”

Weald Heights has been designed to provide residential, nursing and specialist dementia care, as well as respite, end of life and palliative care. The person-centred ethos means residents’ values are right at the heart of the home, which offers a combination of professional, individualised care and luxury hotel-style comfort.

For more information about Weald Heights and Care UK, visit careuk.com