Residents at VIVID’s Abbey Court Extra Care Scheme in Popley, Basingstoke, were joined by the Mayor of Basingstoke and Deane, Cllr Onnalee Cubitt, Rt Hon Maria Miller MP, High Sheriff of Hampshire, Lady Louisa Portal, and children and staff from Cornerstone Miss Muffet nursery for a celebratory indoor street party on 22 April 2022.   

The event, which was organised by volunteer Phil Lloyd, VIVID and ApexPrimeCare was held to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. The afternoon started with a service, conducted by The Reverend Linda Scard, in the Abbey Court garden next to the commemorative olive tree planted last year to remember loved ones lost. The service honoured the Her Majesty, the Queen and prayers were given to those in anguish over the war in Ukraine. The children from Cornerstone Miss Muffet nursery then presented attendees with hand-decorated flowerpots they had created in the shape of a crown. The event was finished off with a wonderful afternoon tea and an array of uplifting sing-along music delivered by Dr Ian Harrison on the piano.    

 Jonathan Cowie, Chief Operating Officer at VIVID said, “We were delighted to join residents and friends of Abbey Court to get together and celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. It was a very special afternoon that bought a lot of smiles to people’s faces. I want to say a big thank you to everyone involved for making this a special day for the residents and in particular to the Mayor of Basingstoke and Deane, Cllr Onnalee Cubitt, the Rt Hon Maria Miller MP and Lady Louisa Portal for attending.” 

Phil Lloyd, volunteer at Abbey Court, said, “It was such a special afternoon, one that will be talked about for a long time! I know our residents want to thank the ApexPrimeCare team for all their amazing support, especially over the last two years, and to VIVID for the incredible work done recently at Abbey Court. The garden in particular looks amazing and will allow residents to enjoy the summer and have picnics with the dear children from the nursery next door.”