A 93-year-old Royal Navy veteran who has never worn boxing gloves in her life is now putting them on three times a week.
That is what a £75,000 grant is making possible at Broughton House Veteran Care Village in Salford.
A Century of Service to Those Who Served
Broughton House has cared for veterans since 1916, when the original building was opened by World War One naval hero Viscount Sir John Jellicoe. Since then, the charity has supported more than 8,000 ex-service men and women. A £12.5 million redevelopment, completed in 2022, transformed the site into the UK’s first Veteran Care Village: a modern 64-bed care home with two specialist dementia households and six independent living apartments, all at Park Lane, Salford.
It is the only home in the North West offering veteran-specific residential, nursing, specialist dementia and respite care.
Three Years of Funded Wellbeing Activity
The Veterans’ Foundation, which raises money through the Veterans’ Lottery and donations to support charities assisting serving and former Armed Forces personnel and their dependants, has awarded Broughton House £75,000 over three years to fund its wellbeing and activities team.
The grant has enabled the home to appoint Niamh Chebouli as a full-time activities team coordinator, working alongside specialist instructors and community volunteers. The result is a growing programme of physical, creative and social sessions available to residents across the care home and independent living apartments.
Physical activities now on offer include gym sessions three times a week, boxing, gentle chair aerobics, and stretch-and-strengthen classes. Creative and social sessions cover arts and crafts, cookery, a nature and walking club, choir, meditation, bingo, quizzes, pamper sessions, medal-polishing, dog therapy and dementia-friendly games.
Jean, 93, Finds a New Challenge in the Ring
Jean Mack, 93, served in the Royal Navy and the Fleet Air Arm. She had never worn boxing gloves before joining the programme. She said she now looks forward to putting them on and doing pad work, and values the interaction and laughter in the gym.
Fellow resident Peter Hickson, 90, served in the Royal Navy and later in the Territorial Army. He said boxing alongside weightlifting and the exercise machines has given him a new challenge and that he can feel himself getting stronger as time goes by.
Why It Matters
Jane Green, director of care at Broughton House, said the wellbeing and activities team is having a hugely positive impact on residents’ quality of life. She said the sessions help residents stay physically active and socially connected whilst supporting cognitive wellbeing for those living with dementia, and that the breadth of activities allows residents to continue living life well irrespective of the challenges that come with age.
Jane Gurney, chief executive of the Veterans’ Foundation, said the organisation was proud to support Broughton House, describing it as leading the way with its pioneering village model and providing not just exceptional residential care but a vibrant, supportive environment for the Armed Forces community.
