88-year-old Brian Montgomery MBE was welcomed into brand new luxury care home, Brize Meadow Lodge recently, as their first resident.
Named in honour of RAF Brize Norton, the largest RAF base in the UK, Brize Meadow Lodge opened in April 2023. As a former member of the RAF for 31 years, Brian chose Brize Meadow Lodge as it seemed the perfect fit for him when looking for a care home.
Upon getting to know Brian through Ideal Carehomes’ This Is Me initiative, where care staff take the time to learn about a residents’ life history, likes and dislikes, the staff were amazed to hear about Brian’s exciting career.
As a teenager, Brian was given the first ever King Scout Award for Lincolnshire, and soon after secured a three-year apprenticeship with the RAF.
Brian travelled the world during his time as a Warrant Officer with the RAF and was invited to Buckingham Palace on 1st January 1980 to receive his MBE as part of the New Year Honours list.
After his time in the RAF, he and his wife, Doreen, moved to Holland when Brian started a new career with NATO.
A few years after Brian retired, the pair moved back to the UK to Poole. When Doreen sadly passed away in 2019, Brian moved to Carterton to be closer to his family.
In 2023, Brian decided to move to Brize Meadow Lodge to gain more support in his day-to-day life and has since been enjoying the varied activities on offer, like arts and crafts, movie showings in the home’s cinema room and most recently celebrating King Charles III’s coronation. Brian said,
‘I am living life now how I have for the past four years; independently. Only now I have the benefit of 24-hour assistance at the ring of a bell, and the care and company of family who live a stone’s throw away.
‘I also have the friendship and generosity of the staff at the home. After my family had feelings of worry of me continuing to live at home alone, I made the decision to move into Brize Meadow Lodge Care Home and I would never look back.’
Sheena Croston, the Regional Director at Brize Meadow Lodge, said,
‘It was very important to us to give Brian the warm welcome he deserved, and we hope that our small ribbon cutting ceremony made the day as memorable for him as it was for us.
‘We’ve really enjoyed getting to know Brian and the other residents who have since joined our Brize Meadow Lodge family – we can’t wait to welcome our next residents.’
For more information about living at Brize Meadow Lodge, please call 01993 323 313, email brizemeadow.lodge@idealcarehomes.co.uk or visit www.idealcarehomes.co.uk.
Brize Meadow Lodge, operated by Ideal Carehomes, offers 24 hour, person-centred residential and dementia care. With 66 ensuite bedrooms, attractive décor and landscaped gardens, Brize Meadow Lodge is welcoming new residents for short- and long-term placements with a unique all-inclusive fee to give peace of mind to residents and their families.
Ideal Carehomes is proud to be named a Top 20 Care Home Group by carehome.co.uk, and winner of the Large Residential Care category at the Laing Buisson Awards 2023.