SOMER Valley House care home in Midsomer Norton is celebrating the stories of some of its resident couples this Valentine’s Day.
Pauline and John West’s relationship began with what Pauline describes as ‘love at first sight’. John was so certain he had found “the one” that he proposed on their third date.
The couple were married in a church in Keynsham on a bitterly cold day, a moment they both still remember vividly. Over the years, some of their happiest memories were made in their caravan in West Cornwall, enjoying the simple pleasure of being together.
Pauline jokes that she may be the more stubborn of the two, while John proudly shares that he ‘still tucks Pauline into bed every night’. Their advice to younger couples is simple and heartfelt: never argue.
Also celebrating their love at Somer Valley House are John and Shirley Eldridge, whose romance began with an adventurous first date on a motorbike. John proposed a year later in 1958, marking the start of a lifetime together.
Shirley fondly recalls spending £10 on her wedding dress, which was the most money she had ever spent at the time. They were married in the gardens in Bath and later honeymooned in Paris. When asked about their happiest memory, the couple said, ‘there are simply too many to choose from.’
Rhona Sievewright, the general manager at Somer Valley House, said: “Stories like Pauline and John’s and Shirley and John’s really capture what makes Valentine’s Day so special.
“We feel so privileged to be able to learn about their lives together, and to support them to continue making memories with each other every day.”
Pictured are John and Shirley Eldridge.