A care home resident’s Christmas wish came true this week as she stepped back in time to revisit her much-loved career - 20 years after retiring. 

Pat Langford, 84, who lives at Cherry Garth care home in Holmer Green, was treated to a guided tour of the hotel she worked in as a switchboard operator – Holiday Inn London at Heathrow – and was presented with a gold-wrapped, tiered box of chocolates by director of sales, Elena Frison. 

Her Christmas wish was made possible by The Fremantle Trust – which runs the care home where Pat lives – as part of their 25th anniversary Wishes and Dreams campaign, created to help make 25 residents’ wishes come true. 

Pat’s wish was to revisit the hotel which held so many fond memories for her from her working life.

In a surprise twist, the trust’s interim operational change director, Andrew Paul, worked alongside Pat at the hotel in the late 1990s and is still in touch with members of the team, so was able to help make her dream become a reality.

Pat was accompanied by her daughter, Sandra, and key worker, Sia, in a chauffeur-driven car to the hotel, where she was greeted by Andrew and a number of former colleagues.

They spent hours chatting, reminiscing and sharing stories of their time together at the hotel. 

Commenting on the experience, Mr Paul said it was a “privilege” to make Pat’s dream come true, adding: “She literally didn’t stop smiling all day.” 

Pat’s daughter, Sandra, said: “We thoroughly enjoyed our day and would like to thank everyone for making it happen.

“It was great for mum to have the opportunity to go back to that chapter in her life as it brought back some really happy memories.”

Paul Duggan, general manager at the Holiday Inn London Heathrow M4, Jct 4, said he was “delighted” to welcome Pat back to the hotel. 

He said: “It’s really special for us that she remembers her time at the hotel so fondly and chose to visit again as her wish.”