There have been celebrations a-plenty at a Doonfoot care home, as Mary and Andy Wilson, residents at Greenan Manor Care Home, celebrated Andy's 80th birthday and their 56th wedding anniversary on the same day.
Mary and Andy first found love at a Barn Dance which Andy had helped to organise with East Ayrshire Motorsports Car Club. They got married in August 1970 at Kirkoswald Parish Church followed by a reception at the Queens Hotel in Ayr, accompanied by over 100 of their friends and family.
Mary explains that they got married on Andy's birthday so that Andy couldn't forget when their anniversary was - though when asked on the day, he said he had forgotten!
Ayrshire born and bred, Mary is a former Head Teacher who worked all around Ayrshire, while Andy worked for Scottish Airlines at Prestwick Airport. A keen motorsports fan, Andy has fond memories of travelling around Ayrshire with the Car Club.
To celebrate their special day, the team at Meallmore-operated Greenan Manor arranged a meal in the fine dining room, which was decorated with balloons. The couple enjoyed a lovely celebration and toasted the day with some champagne.
When asked about the secret to a happy marriage, the couple said it's about "having a great friendship, keeping communication open and always having a laugh."
Andy and Mary moved into Greenan Manor in September 2024. They plan to continue having lovely meals and look forward to making many more happy memories together.
Joe Janikowski, Care Home Manager at Greenan Manor Care Home said: "We love having an opportunity to celebrate occasions with our residents, so it was extra special to have this double celebration. Andy and Mary are a wonderful couple, and it was a joy to see them both having a wonderful time on the day. We enjoyed hearing more about their lives together and laughing along with them as they shared fond anecdotes. Huge thanks to the team and the kitchen team for putting on such a lovely meal for Andy and Mary. It was a beautiful spread, and they both thoroughly enjoyed it."
Situated on Tiree Avenue, with coastal views across Ayr Bay, Greenan Manor offers a selection of high-quality ensuite rooms equipped with modern conveniences. Run by one of Scotland's most trusted health and social care providers, Meallmore Ltd, it provides excellent standards of care for its residents.
Meallmore has 30 homes across Scotland. Of the 27 already open, 21 are for older people, five for adults with mental health needs and one for adults with learning or physical disability. The other three are new homes in development, which will provide services for elderly people in Aberdeen City, Broughty Ferry and Clarkston.
