Thirty years of happy memories

It seems had to believe, but on September 9, The Old Rectory celebrated its pearl anniversary; yes, 30 years of serving the good people of Surrey with exemplary healthcare in our own inimitable style, and it feels like only yesterday.

From modest beginnings in 1979, when 14 staff managed just three rooms and ministered to the needs of our first two residents, our ‘home from home’ has gone from strength to strength and bloomed into the 32-bed facility with 60 staff – many of whom are locals – that we are so proud of today.

To mark this auspicious occasion, on September 17 we celebrated with a barbecue reception held in our garden (the unpredictable British weather having put paid to plans for the 9th) under the shade of the willow tree, where we decided to adopt a purple and pink, floral colour scheme for our decorations. And very jolly it all looked, too! As proceedings got underway, Champagne and canapés flowed freely accompanied by the mellifluous sound of live acoustic guitar courtesy of Will Shepherd, Our manager, Harriet, then welcomed the assembled guests, before long-standing staff and Geoghegan family members mingled with residents and their families to reflect on the day.

As always, The Old Rectory kitchens came up trumps with a varied selection of delicious fare for everyone to enjoy, including goat’s cheese & caramelised onion tart and ‘devils on horseback’ and smoked salmon, followed by spatchcock chicken and a selection of salads, alongside the usual barbecue favourite of sausages. As a result, there were a lot of satisfied ‘customers’ and plenty of compliments to be passed on to the chef.

Following a short break, we were all ready for the sumptuous desserts on offer of crème caramel with strawberries, and ‘Bonkers’ cake from Butter & Cream Cakes in Milford which was the ‘piece de resistance’. After coffee was served, our founder, Joanne Geoghegan rounded off the afternoon with an interesting speech looking back over the past 30 years.

All in all, it was a wonderful event. The weather stayed fine and it was delightful to meet all the extended family members who joined us for our celebrations.
Here’s to the next 30 years.