Pat and John’s memories of Hft

Pat and John, whose daughter Kathy is supported by Hft in Gloucestershire, share their memories of Hft as part of our #Hft60 anniversary celebrations.

“I’ll never forget the day that John and I first visited Frocester Manor in early 2002. Our daughter Kathy was a student at Derwen College near Oswestry where, after a difficult start, she had settled well and was learning skills enabling her to enjoy greater independence. We were keen that these skills should not be lost when her course finished and that she should move on to have a life independent of us. We had already seen a few other good care providers and then made arrangements to visit Frocester. Hft’s beginnings were at Frocester Manor in the early sixties and I had a vague memory of hearing of it while a student in Bristol at that time. Little did I realise then what it would come to mean to our family in later years!

“A member of staff showed us around and, by the end of our visit, we were sure that, if Hft could accommodate her, this would be the right place for Kathy to live.

“We were impressed by the care and respect shown to the people who lived at Frocester. The residents that we met were either happily occupied or were enjoying time outside and there was a calm, happy and relaxed atmosphere. It was obvious to us from the outset that the level of care was exceptional. Kathy moved to Frocester Manor in November 2002 and quickly made friends with both residents and staff.

“Soon after she arrived Kathy was invited to interview some of her new friends. With her friendly and chatty personality Kathy relished the experience and some interesting interviews were recorded! On the same VHS tape is a recording of another resident of the Manor, a tall man, performing his ‘sun dance’ to music while wearing his wellington boots. The performance was against the backdrop of the sun shining through the branches of a large Cedar tree in the grounds of Frocester Manor. His movement showed real expression and feeling for the music. It was both beautiful and moving to watch.

“Throughout the following years we’ve enjoyed meeting with other families, the trustees and the management staff at the yearly AGMs. We have welcomed the insight this gives us into the running and vision of Hft. Through the regular Frocester (now Glos) FSA meetings we have met other relatives and shared experiences and concerns. There have also been regular highly informative updates on the organisation from members of the management staff who have given up their Sunday afternoons to speak to us.

“In 2016 Kathy moved from the Manor into Benoni, a house in Kings Stanley. Her full life continued, horse riding, swimming, dancing on a Friday, cycling on her tricycle, meeting with friends and days at Stroud College etc.  Stroud College held a Summer School that she and some of her friends attended. At the end of the two week course a performance was produced. This was always a superb combination of drama, music, art work and the other activities that had been available.

“All this stopped for Covid. Kathy stayed and isolated with us during the lockdowns and until she had her vaccination. She was delighted to return and told us that it was “bliss” to be back!

“We are so pleased that we made that first visit to Frocester Manor back in 2002. The place where Kathy is looked after has changed, and post Covid there have been problems to overcome, but these have been dealt with and the wonderful level of care shown by staff continues. The ethos of “helping people to live the best lives possible” remains.”

Thanks so much to Pat and John for sharing their experiences of Hft – and those of Kathy – for our #Hft60 celebrations, it’s a lovely story to read! 

If you enjoyed reading Pat and John’s contribution to our #Hft60, why not take a look at the other stories that others have shared, and perhaps share your own?