A care organisation has crowned its own King and Queen in the run up to a bumper weekend of Coronation celebrations.
While the nation parties as King Charles III officially accedes to the throne, there will be loud cheers at Pendine Park in Wrexham and Caernarfon.
Joyous residents, their families and staff will have an extra reason to celebrate as two members of staff will mark their birthdays on Coronation Day, May 6, and have been proclaimed as Pendine’s own right royal duo!
Ben Beleno will reach his milestone 50th birthday while fellow staff member Sara Williams will be 37 on the big day.
The pair work at the Hillbury and Gwern Alyn care homes in Hillbury Road, Wrexham.
All Pendine’s other homes, including Bryn Seiont Newydd, in Caernarfon, will be marking Coronation Day in flag waving style with music, dancing, party cakes, balloons and banners.
Ben and Sara were delighted to be declared Pendine’s own King and Queen for the weekend.
Ben has been a care assistant at Hillbury and Gwern Alyn Care Homes for 15 years. He is originally from the Philippines.
Sara, who loves her job caring for elderly residents, is also looking forward to another life-changing event when she gets married next year to partner Adam Jones. The couple have a 13 year old daughter, Amelia.
She said: “I really do feel like a queen with so many thrilling activities going on.”
Artist in Residence Sarah Edwards said: “We love a good party at Pendine and are planning a right royal do to celebrate in style.
“Everyone is really looking forward to such a wonderfully historic and momentous occasion and they are all excited to be involved in the planning of it.
“Our artistic residents have been busy in our ever popular Seren art class making bunting and decorations for the celebrations.
“One resident, Tony Ithell from Bryn Bella, is even painting a huge MDF Union Jack heart with a gold crown above to go on display in our front entrance at Summerhill.”
Cindy Clutton, the manager of both Hillbury and Gwern Alyn, said: “This will definitely be one of the biggest celebrations we’ve seen here.
“A number of our residents are in their eighties and nineties and so this will not be the first Coronation they have seen during their full and active lives but it will certainly be the first for a long time given that our great late Queen Elizabeth II was on the throne for 70 years.”
In addition to the two staff birthdays one of Gwern Alyn’s much loved residents will also be marking a momentous birthday on Coronation Day. Peggy Jones will be 95 on May 6.
For Peggy watching the Coronation of Prince Charles III will be a real landmark as he will be the fifth monarch to take the throne during her lifetime.
She has also witnessed the reigns of George V, Edward VIII, George VI, and Elizabeth II.
Peggy was born on May 6, 1928, in Leytonstone, London. She lived in London until she met her future husband, Delvyn, in the capital while he was serving with the RAF.
After they married and the Second World War ended they moved to Coedpoeth, near Wrexham, where Peggy’s husband had spent his childhood.
Peggy’s daughter, Pamela, said: “They lived in Coedpoeth for the 72 years they were married, having two daughters, five grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren.”
Peggy’s husband passed away in 2019.
Pamela added: “Due to declining health, she is now cared for by the lovely staff at Gwern Alyn. It is wonderful to think everyone there will be joining us in celebrating mum’s birthday on the same weekend our new King is crowned.”
Sarah Edwards added: “We’ll definitely be going to town with putting the flags and bunting out to decorate all our homes ready for our big Coronation celebration at Pendine. We are especially looking forward to our parties where we’ll have majestic menus and lots of fun things going on including the opportunity to sing along and dance to popular music from local entertainer Bruce McLaine.
Special Coronation menus across the homes will feature a luscious lunch consisting of Coronation lamb or aubergine followed by strawberry and ginger trifle, as per the special coronation menus on the Royal website.
“In the afternoon, our catering crew will provide ice cream and drinks at 2pm. In addition Coronation cakes will be served followed by a buffet tea party in all homes consisting of a selection of sandwiches and light bites followed by blood orange and gin panacotta.”
Yet more fun activities are planned at Pendine Park’s Bodlondeb care home, which is also on the Summerhill site. Here there will be a celebratory hog roast to which the whole of the Summerhill family is invited including residents, staff friends and family.
The Coronation event will be televised in lounges and bedrooms from 11a.m on Saturday May 6 for those residents wishing to take part.
