Gillian Grimes, 84, resident at HC-One’s Victoria Park Care Home, in Coventry, reunited with her beloved husband Ted to celebrate their 64th wedding anniversary – after being apart for over a year.
Gillian and Ted’s love story began in 1956, when they met in a ballroom in Northampton. Ted, a young soldier on short leave, asked Gillian for a dance – and from that moment they have been inseparable.
The couple married on March 18, 1961, at Northampton Cathedral and spent their honeymoon in London. They moved to Coventry in 1962, where they welcomed their daughter Wendy at Keresley Hospital.
Settling in Radford, Ted left the army and began working at Jaguar in Browns Lane. The family home they lovingly built together remains in the family to this day.
Over the decades, Gillian and Ted shared countless happy memories – from family holidays to special adventures abroad. One of Gillian’s fondest memories is swimming with dolphins in America – an experience that was a “once-in-a-lifetime moment".
Sadly, the past few years have been challenging for the couple. After moving into separate care homes due to health reasons, and with Ted’s declining health, they had been unable to see each other for over a year.
Visits from family, including their granddaughter, had been a source of comfort, but nothing compared to being together in person. On March 18, 2025, their 64th wedding anniversary, colleagues at HC-One’s Victoria Park Care Home helped organise a beautiful surprise.
Ted, accompanied by his granddaughter, waited in the lounge while Gillian, unaware of the plan, was brought downstairs under the impression she was meeting a health professional. Instead, she found Ted waiting for her.
Shabana Lamley, HC-One’s Victoria Park Wellbeing Coordinator, said:
“It was such a special moment for Gillian and Ted. Her reaction to seeing her husband left us all so emotional. It made all the planning and organising worthwhile.”
It was a touching reminder of their enduring love and the special bond they continue to share.
For more information on HC-One homes in your area visit
www.hc-one.co.uk/carehomes.