When care home Brendoncare Froxfield asked resident Jean Birtles what she would like to celebrate her 105th birthday, she said she wanted a snake charmer!
To grant her wish, they invited Paul Smith from Feathers, Fangs and Furries from Andover.
Paul and his family came along not just with a snake, but with a selection of their other exotic creatures to entertain Jean, her family members and friends, residents and team members.
Paul gladly took on the role as the snake charmer for the birthday girl.
Jean was born on 18th July 1920 in Hornchurch, Essex. She was in the Women’s Land Army during World War 2, working on a farm in the county.
She met her husband Tom who lived next door but one to her house. They met when he came to look at a puppy her mother was selling. They married in the 1940s and honeymooned on the Isle of Wight.
While bringing up her children, Jean sold cream teas from the garden at her home every Monday and at weekends.
She is a big animal lover and keeps everyone entertained about all the animals she has cared for over the years. She kept goats and once took them to London by car. She is affectionately known as Granny Goats by her family!
Jean came to live at Froxfield in 2019, moving there from Bexhill-on-Sea in East Sussex where she was actively involved in the community and was a much-loved member of the local Women’s Institute.
Staying active is very important to her and she believes this is her secret to a long and happy life.
She said afterwards: “Paul is a great entertainer and I knew the others would enjoy seeing him.”
Trudy Allen, Froxfield’s Wellbeing Supervisor, said: “Jean is such a character and when she told us what she wanted to do to celebrate her birthday, we decided we were up for the challenge of finding a charming man with a snake! A huge thank you to Paul and his family for making this such a special occasion.”
Brendoncare Froxfield offers care for 44 residents, including a dedicated 16 bed dementia care household.
It is one of seven care homes run by charity Brendoncare which also provides extra care housing and community services for older people across the south of England. For more information about Brendoncare Froxfield, please call 01488 684916 or visit the website here.
Local Heritage Trustees – St Peter’s
