Joan Capon who is 96 and lives at Whitegates – a not-for-profit care home in Westfield – has fond memories of the cold weather.
She said: “I was married in 1947 and it was snowing all around. Our wedding cake had prunes in it and my wedding dress was made from parachute silk.
"Our friends and family gave their ration books to help towards the catering for the reception and we went to the Isle of Man for our honeymoon for the motorbike racing.”
Shirley Atherton, 87, remembers back to when she was a little girl. She said: “I was about five years old when we received a 13-year-old evacuee from London.
“He could not believe how much snow had fallen (about four feet) and he told me he did not wish to return home as he enjoyed the snow so much.”
Susan Tuddenham, 84, shared her story from the 1950s when her whole family went out into the snow: “My mum, dad and brother made the tallest snowman and we all had great fun.”
Meanwhile, residents at Grosvenor House, St Leonards-on-Sea, have also been sharing their winter stories.
Kathleen Balkham, 100, who grew up in a local farm, said: “Every year my father would go into the field to get the tree and holly. There was lots of holly growing nearby and he always brought lots of it!”
Ninety-eight-year-old Joan Fountain, who grew up in Hastings and worked for British Gas, enjoyed singing carols around the Christmas tree with her whole family.
Michelle Bryant is the Home Manager of Whitegates. The Westfield home and Grosvenor House are both part of leading care charity Greensleeves Care.
Reflecting on the initiative, Michelle said: “We know winter can be a hard season for many, but it is also a time to cosy up with others, to care and feel cared for. Our residents at Whitegates have loved sharing their wonderful memories of winter days; and our staff, relatives and social media followers have enjoyed hearing them.”
Greensleeves Care residents’ memories have been making waves on social media. People have shared reactions including “Such a heartwarming initiative! Cherishing winter memories truly brings people closer.”
As well as their own memories including, “Winter 67-68 lots of snow and walking down the road with my first proper boyfriend!!!!! Our village was cut off by snowdrifts, but we didn’t care!”. There have even been suggestions to pull the collection into a book.
Michelle explained that conversation and memory recall are key to living well and happily and that sparking old memories is beneficial to older adults, who sometimes can experience isolation during the winter months.
Research by Greensleeves Care showed that 62% of people are more concerned about the welfare of older relatives and friends in winter. In addition, one in two people give more assistance to older loved ones during the winter season with activities such as shopping, social visits and household tasks.
To support local people, Greensleeves Care’s winter Warmth of Care campaign includes free online resources and advice as well as a Big Warm Up day on Saturday, January 25 where Whitegates and Grosvenor House care homes will open its doors to the Wokingham community.
Home Manager of Grosvenor, Amanda Newport said: “Winter is an opportunity to spot for growing care needs and explore longer-term solutions. We’re here for families concerned about loved ones this season.
“The Big Warm Up is a free open-day and a chance for visitors to celebrate and experience the joy and humanity that exists in care settings like our home. For families concerned about an older loved one, it’s also an opportunity to talk through practical information to support decision-making around care in a relaxed and welcoming environment.”
If you’d like more tips and advice on how to help older adults near you to stay warm and well this winter, you can explore free resources at www.greensleeves.org.uk/WarmthOfCare