Solihull care home helps make Aston Villa superfan’s lifelong wish come true

Lifelong Aston Villa fan John Rigby, age 81 a resident at Care UK’s Blossomfield Grange, on Worcester Way, had talked in detail about his decades-long devotion to Aston Villa FC and often reminisced about the times he spent watching the team in action.

When the team at Blossomfield Grange discovered that John’s dream was to go behind the scenes at the Aston Villa’s stadium Villa Park, they immediately got to work and contacted the club to kick things into action.

John’s wish forms part of Care UK’s ‘Wishing Tree’ Initiative, which encourages residents to put wishes forward, allowing them to reconnect with a past hobby or try something completely new – from flying a plane to enjoying a night at the opera, no wish is too big or small.

Ready for the experience of a lifetime, John eagerly made the trip to Villa Park, where he was delighted to explore the stadium, walk around his team’s pitch, and go behind the scenes to enjoy a special tour of the trophy room.

John said: “The visit was incredible and brought back so many memories of my many visits to Villa Park. I was particularly interested in the history of the club and looking at the old photographs of all the former players that I remember well.”

John’s support for the club dates back 70 years, where he would frequently attend games at the stadium, before chatting about them at the pub he is now a partner of, The Black Boy in Knowle.

Jag Singh, General Manager at Blossomfield Grange, said: “John speaks so fondly of the memories he’s made as an Aston Villa fan, so we were really excited to be able to make his wish of returning to the stadium after so many years come true. We always like to go the extra mile for residents here at Blossomfield Grange, and bring their wishes to life, no matter how small – or unusual.

“John was over the moon to be back at Villa Park and loved having the opportunity to make his way through the players’ tunnel and onto the pitch. It was fantastic to see the beaming smile on his face throughout the day, and to create another meaningful Aston Villa memory for him – he hasn’t stopped talking about it since!”

Designed to enable residents to live active and fulfilled lives, while also promoting independence, Blossomfield Grange incorporates space for hobby and leisure activities. The home has been configured into a series of neighbourhoods to help facilitate the creation of close-knit communities and encourage social interaction among the residents.