Brass band strikes a chord with resident Jenny

The band brought back treasured memories for Jenny whose deep-rooted connection to the Salvation Army inspired a special surprise organised by our care home.

Having spent many years singing in the Salvation Army choir, while her father played tuba, Jenny Watton, aged 89, was delighted when our team arranged for the musicians from 1^st Class Brass to perform on her birthday.

Jenny, who has been a resident at Alderwood since September 2022, said: “I really wanted to see a brass band again and wrote my wish on our wishing tree, so it was a lovely treat for my birthday.

“It was wonderful to hear the sounds that have played such an important role throughout my life.

“I was raised in a Salvation Army family and proudly wore the Salvation Army bonnet. Growing up, music was at the heart of family life, my father Harry playing the tuba in the Salvation Army brass band, while I sang in the choir.

“It was wonderful to chat to the musicians and hear them play, it made me so happy and also a little emotional as it brought back so many memories of my youth. There is nothing that compares to the sound of a brass band!”

It was through music that Jenny met her husband, Arthur. Stationed in Colchester with the Cheshire Regiment Military Band, Arthur would join Salvation Army band rehearsals alongside his fellow musicians. As a French horn player, he shared Jenny’s passion for music, and their romance soon blossomed.

The couple married in Wilmslow, Cheshire, on 13 February 1957 and went on to raise four children – Robina, Julie, Joy and Robert. Over the years, the family lived in Suffolk before emigrating to Canada and later the United States, eventually returning to Colchester in 1970.

Jenny is a proud grandmother to eight grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. Sadly, Arthur passed away 10 years ago.

Joy Clark, Jenny’s daughter, said: “We cannot thank Nikki and the team at Alderwood enough for making Mum’s wish come true to listen to a brass band again.

“We were treated to a fabulous lunch and enjoyed a lovely afternoon’s entertainment in the garden listening to the brass band, with a rendition of Happy Birthday which made her day. Mum’s smile was priceless!

“Everyone really went above and beyond to help us build special memories with our dear mum, which is so important.”

Nikki Leaney, manager at Alderwood Care Home, added: “We are passionate about getting to know the people who live with us and our ‘wishing tree’ plays an important role in this, helping is to create meaningful experiences based on their life stories and interests.

“Music has played such an important role throughout Jenny’s life, so it was wonderful to see her enjoying the performance with her family and making more special memories together.”

Alderwood is a 65-bed care home located on Essex Hall Road in Colchester. The team provide residential, nursing, dementia, and specialist end of life care. Alderwood has a highly coveted 10/10 rating for reviews on carehome.co.uk and is rated Outstanding by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).