Coppice Lodge Love Birds Reunite to Celebrate 65 years of Marriage

Nottingham care team reunite lovers who have been separated during the pandemic with a surprise date to celebrate their milestone Blue Sapphire anniversary

Love birds, Chrystine and Michael Girvan have celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary at Coppice Lodge care home in Arnold. The couple, who have been separated for 10 months due to the coronavirus pandemic were reunited at a private candle-lit date in the vintage tearoom organised by the thoughtful care team.

Chrystine moved into the care home in October 2020 and due to government guidelines, Michael had been unable to visit. The pair missed each other so much that Michael decided to also move to Coppice Lodge to be closer to his wife and be able to hold her in his arms once more.

Michael and the Coppice Lodge care team agreed to keep his arrival at the home a secret from his wife in order to make their anniversary even more special. On the day, Chrystine was thrilled to find the tearoom decorated in beautiful blue balloons, bunches of flowers, bunting, fairy lights and a private, candle-lit table for two with her beau sat waiting for her.

The emotional reunion left the care team crying with happiness for the couple as they shared a loving hug and kiss before sitting down to a delicious three-course meal including a full roast dinner and Chrystine’s favourite dessert: cream cake.

Michael, said, ‘I simply couldn’t ask for more, the staff at Coppice Lodge have been incredibly thoughtful, our date was wonderful – I can’t thank them enough for what they did to help us celebrate our 65th wedding anniversary!’ Chrystine added, ‘I am thrilled to be reunited with Michael, it means to world to me that he has moved into Coppice Lodge! Our date was lovely everybody clearly worked very hard to pull this together, our table setting was beautiful!’.

The couple, who visited the pictures for their first date followed by a walk which lasted hours chatting and getting to know one another, believe there is no secret to a happy marriage. Chrystine said, '​I believe when a couple is truly in love like us you will always be happy!'.

Lifestyle Manager, Lorna Thornley, who helped to put the surprise date together, said, ‘We are so pleased we could make Michael and Chrystine’s anniversary so special. They are the definition of soulmates and I am delighted to see how much they enjoyed their special meal ‘.

Coppice Lodge, operated by Ideal Carehomes, is a residential and dementia care home boasting a hair salon, cinema room and spacious lounges overlooking landscaped sensory gardens. All 64 bedrooms are en-suite, enabling staff to deliver person-centred care in a dignified manner, promoting independence as far as possible.