World War II veteran, 95, holds hands with his daughter for the first time in nearly a year and married couple in their 80s are reunited as care homes reopen to visitors again

• Eric Bradshaw ‘could not put into words’ how it felt to be with his daughter again
• Thelma Barnett, 82, and her husband Basil, 83, were reunited in Worcestershire 
• Mr Bradshaw said: ‘It’s just lovely to hold Ruth’s hand again’  

A World War II veteran was able to hold hands with his daughter for the first time in nearly a year as a married couple in their 80s were reunited when care homes reopened to visitors again.   

Eric Bradshaw, 95, said he ‘could not put into words’ how it felt being close to his daughter Ruth again, as they met at Millfield care home in Oldham, Greater Manchester, today.

He said: ‘It’s just lovely to hold Ruth’s hand again and it’s great to see her after all that’s happened.

‘The team at Millfield have been amazing looking after all of us here but I can’t put into words what it means to see my family again and see everyone safe and sound.’ 

And in Worcestershire Thelma Barnett, 82, was finally able to see her husband Basil, 83, following a difficult year of being separated after care homes began allowing visitors again this week. 

Eric Bradshaw (pictured with his daughter Ruth today), 95, said he ‘could not put into words’ how it felt being close to his daughter Ruth again, as they met at Millfield care home in Oldham, Greater Manchester, today

He said: ‘It’s just lovely to hold Ruth’s hand again and it’s great to see her after all that’s happened. The team at Millfield have been amazing looking after all of us here but I can’t put into words what it means to see my family again and see everyone safe and sound’

And in Worcestershire Thelma Barnett (pictured with her husband on Monday), 82, was finally able to see her husband Basil, 83, following a difficult year of being separated after care homes began allowing visitors again this week

It had been the longest time the couple had ever spent apart since meeting in 1958 and marrying two years later in 1960.

Thelma was the first in line at The Lawns Nursing Home in Kempsey on Monday to see her husband in person for the first time since Christmas.

Staff captured the emotional moment the couple were able to hold hands, which they had been unable to do for the past year due to Covid restrictions.

Retired food technologist Basil has been living at the care home since December 2019 after being diagnosed with dementia.

It meant the pair had only seen each other a handful of times via Facetime or through perspex screens set up in the home during the summer.

Ruth visited as part of a ‘pod’ set up with Oldham Council that allows residents to have one close contact visitor a day, as well as their named visitor allowed under Government guidelines, once both parties have either been vaccinated or test negative

Thelma said it was a ‘joyous moment’ to be able to hold Basil’s hand for the first time in months and to see him smile again. 

Mr Bradshaw, a signalman during the war, was photographed waving to his family from the care home’s window on VE Day last year.

He has received both of his vaccinations and Ruth provided a negative lateral flow test prior to their meeting.

She visited as part of a ‘pod’ set up with Oldham Council that allows residents to have one close contact visitor a day, as well as their named visitor allowed under Government guidelines, once both parties have either been vaccinated or test negative.

Mr Bradshaw, a signalman during the war, was photographed waving to his family from the care home’s window on VE Day last year (pictured)

Lisa Owens, manager of the Millfield home, said: ‘It’s so wonderful to see Ruth and Eric reunited like this. It was a real privilege to see how many people wanted to salute Eric last year but seeing them reunited like this is really special.

‘Everyone has gone through a tough year, but Eric’s always shown us that we don’t have to give up hope.’ 

Former NHS nurse Thelma, of Kempsey, said she was ‘so lucky’ to be able to see her husband Basil.

She said: ‘I had an apron, masks and gloves on but everybody is used to the masks now so that didn’t deter him very much.

‘He still recognised my eyes and when he walked into the room he was absolutely thrilled and excited to see me he couldn’t believe it was me.

‘He said to me: ‘Are you really Thelma?’

Lisa Owens, manager of the Millfield home, said: ‘It’s so wonderful to see Ruth and Eric reunited like this. It was a real privilege to see how many people wanted to salute Eric last year but seeing them reunited like this is really special’

‘We just sat down side by side because I had been sitting opposite him when I had seen him in the summer so I was able to hold his hand and hold it close.

‘We just smiled all the time at each other, that’s really what it was all about. It was a joyous moment.

‘The last time I was able to see him was Boxing Day and then we have been in lockdown ever since.

‘I have only been able to speak to him on FaceTime but he was rarely able to meet my eyes or realise that it was me so it wasn’t satisfactory for him.

‘Staff have been asked to make individual scrapbooks to give to their loved ones so I had made one full of lots of photographs of things we used to do together.

‘It was a huge lift for him to see that and look at it and remember the faces and for me to come in and talk to him face to face.

‘That was just wonderful – he was just so relaxed and happy.

‘I thought he might be upset when we had to part but I was able to say that I was coming back again and soon we’d be able to go for a walk in the garden and he accepted that.’

Basil met his wife of 60 years back in 1958 while she was working as a student nurse and he was a patient in the hospital.

The couple, who have lived in Worcestershire all their lives, have two grown-up children and two grandchildren.

Melanie Dawson, 53, the care home manager, said: ‘It is a lovely thing to have happening and it is bringing back a level of normality.

‘We are certainly on the right track, having visitors coming in and being able to hold the hands of their loved ones and sit with people is really positive.

‘It’s a hopeful step in getting beyond this pandemic and getting back to normality.

‘The visit went wonderful and it was just nice for them to have a conversation face to face.’

Pictured: Eric Bradshaw is reunited with his emotional daughter Ruth after a year apart 

One designated family member can now see their relative in a care home after lockdown rules changed this week.

But visitors have to be wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) and also take a lateral flow test on-site beforehand.

Family members are also permitted to now hold hands under the new changes but are still unable to hug each other.

The government website states: ‘Visiting is a central part of care home life. It is crucially important for maintaining the health, wellbeing and quality of life of residents.

‘Visiting is also vital for family and friends to maintain contact and life-long relationships with their loved ones and contribute to their support and care.’

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