A resident and football enthusiast from a Willenhall care home has fulfilled his bucket list wish of returning to the football stadium of his favourite club — where he was previously offered an academy team contract.
Keith Love, a resident at Willow Rose, a state-of-the-art care home in Willenhall, returned to Molineux Stadium, a place he considers a second home, after expressing his dream to do so via the home’s Wish Tree.
After the care home got in contact with the stadium, Keith was invited for a full tour of the grounds, which included pitch side access and a look round the dressing rooms — before being presented with keepsakes from the team in the gift shop.
Keith’s deep-rooted passion for football dates back to his school years, where he actively participated in both junior and senior teams. Keith was also offered a place with the Wolverhampton Wanderers Academy, an opportunity he regrettably had to decline due to family circumstances.
Nevertheless, Keith’s devotion to the team remained unwavering, becoming a dedicated season ticket holder. He also followed the England national team visiting Germany, Denmark, Africa, Brazil and Norway to watch them play. However, in 2015 Keith had to stop travelling due to his declining health, but kept up with the games on the TV and longed for one more opportunity to get back out to a stadium.
When the former AF Blakemore lorry driver wasn’t immersing himself in football, Keith loved to stay home spending time gardening with his wife, Gill, who he has been married to for 56 years, sharing two daughters together.
Shelly-Ann Trotman, Deputy Manager at Willow Rose, said: “Seeing our residents smile means the world to all of us and we were so thrilled to be able to give Keith a day he won’t forget. We can’t wait to honour more of our residents’ Wish Tree dreams and create more special memories.”
Honouring care residents’ bucket list wishes helps to uplift spirits, instil a sense of purpose, and brings joy to their lives. It creates a deep sense of fulfilment whilst helping to create lasting, meaningful memories for all involved.
Commenting on his special day Keith said: “I would like to thank everyone who made my dream come true. I’m over the moon and very grateful. I truly appreciate the effort put in by the staff at the stadium to go to such lengths for my experience to be so memorable.”
The Macc Care Group owns a collection of thirteen homes across the Midlands. The group prides itself on three core values — love, care and compassion. Its luxury developments address elderly nursing, dementia and residential care with a commitment to support and enrich the lives of all its communities.
For information on the Macc Care group, please visit https://www.macccare.com/ or for further information on Willow Rose, visit https://macccare.com/our-homes/willow-rose/.
