John Munro, a resident at Oakshade in Chichester, shared his memories of his mother, who was employed by Abbeyfield in the 1960s.
My mother found a job with Abbeyfield in Edinburgh in a house with six residents, and I visited her from time to time.
The house itself appeared very true to Richard Carr-Gomm’s original vision – an ordinary house in an ordinary street where other people could live together. I believe my mother felt very fulfilled in her role and that she was making a positive difference to other people’s lives. She also had a warm, cheerful personality and knew how to relate to people, so I imagine she helped the residents to feel very at home as well.
Cooking for six people wasn’t a particularly full-time job, but she also enjoyed going to the market two or three times a week and selecting the ingredients herself, as opposed to ordering over the phone. It allowed her to be much more specific, only buying the ingredients she needed, which of course saved money for the home and the residents and very little was wasted.
I remember a lady once coming up to me and saying, “Your mother makes such tasty meals” – and I knew exactly what she meant, and she had done the same for me.
Read more news and articles from Abbeyfield
09/10/2026
Going the distance for our residents
Staff members Bobbie, Iris, Pam and Shirley at the Abbeyfield Canvey Island Society have completed a half marathon (13.1 miles) to raise funds for their Residents' social fund, on the 6th of October 2026. Dressed in tutus and bunny ears, these dedicated staff members took on this challenge to advocate against the issue of loneliness among older people.
Read More
01/10/2026
Celebrating the International Day of Older People!
Celebrating the United Nations' International Day of Older Persons, this 1st of October and exploring what this day means to Abbeyfield England.
Read More
22/09/2026
Super Sarah goes the distance
Sarah Hutchinson, Regional Operations Manager at Abbeyfield Living Society (ALS), took on The Wall on 13-14 June, running an incredible 70 miles along Hadrian’s Wall from Carlisle to Newcastle.
Read More