13
Feb
Love through the decades: Boroughbridge care home residents share their stories
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A Harrogate couple whose love story began in a Glasgow classroom are celebrating their 63rd Valentine’s Day spent side by side.
Jim and Cathy Quinn, now residents at Heath Lodge Community Haven in Boroughbridge, first met at school in Glasgow in the 1950s. Now, seven decades on, their love remains as strong as ever.
Jim still vividly remembers the moment he first noticed Cathy.
He said:
She was sitting at the desk in front of me in school, and when we were courting, we spent very little time together. The most time we have ever spent apart was when I went to Scotland to take my architecture exams!
Back then, romance came with a tight budget. While studying architecture at the Charles Rennie Mackintosh Centre, Jim earned just £2 a week. Despite his modest income, he saved £75 to buy Cathy an engagement ring – a significant sum at the time.
Over the years, the couple have raised two children and travelled the world more than 20 times over. Yet for Jim and Cathy, the destination has never mattered quite as much as the company.
Jim said:
As long as we're together, it doesn’t matter where we are.
Their story is just one of many being shared this Valentine’s Day at Heath Lodge.
Gordon and Roz Pepper
Fellow resident Gordon Pepper reflected on his own marriage to wife Roz.
He said:
We’ve had our ups and downs, but the secret, if there is one, is finding someone you want to wake up next to. It’s love – simple, really. When you know, you just know.
Another resident, Pauline, who was married for 55 years, believes the key to lasting love is growing together.
She said:
We knew who we were as people, and we knew who each other were. We loved each other. That was all we had, but that was all we needed.
Denise McEvoy, director of care at Harrogate Neighbours, said it has been a joy to hear the residents’ stories.
She said:
It’s been lovely hearing all about how our couples met and what holds them together. Valentine’s Day is a great excuse to embrace each other and share the love – whether that’s romantic or between colleagues and friends.
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