Summer Begins with D-Day 80 in Fareham
From seafront walks to D-Day 80 commemorations in and around Fareham, we're helping older adults make the most of the summer and our local history.
As the days have grown longer and the temperatures get warmer, it has been a perfect few weeks for our clients at Home Instead Fareham to enjoy getting out and about this summer.
Our team of visiting Care Professionals regularly supports our home care clients to get out from home and enjoy all that the local area offers. One client recently enjoyed a delightful seafront walk in Lee-on-the-Solent and a stop for fish and chips, while another had a lovely day at Portchester Castle with a peaceful walk and ice cream in the historic surroundings.
Recently too, we have been supporting our clients to attend the local events commemorating the 80th Anniversary of the D-Day landings and we wanted to take some time to remember the local history of that event.
Here’s an overview of some of the local significance of D-Day 80 and the associated local memories held by many of our older generations:
Commemorating D-Day 80: Our local history
Summer is the time of year that we commemorate the D-Day landings, and this year brings the 80th anniversary. In our local area, and for our clients, there are some very specific memories of that historic event because Fareham and Hampshire was a significant staging post for the embarkation of troops, across the channel and towards Normandy.
Many of our clients hold vivid childhood memories of these historic deployments, remembering the troops and equipment being massed locally before joining the night-time crossing on 5th June before the invasion began at dawn the following morning.
A trip to Southwick village: The centre of operations
A lovely place for a day out and to bring back memories for our older adult clients, inspiring conversations is the village of Southwick, with its thatched roofs and half-timbered cottages. Southwick remains largely unchanged from the day in June 1944 when this little Hampshire village became, quite literally, the centre of Operation Overlord – the codename for the Allied operation – which was the operation that launched the Battle of Normandy and began the successful liberation of German-occupied Western Europe during World War II.
Nestled beneath the northern slopes of Portsdown Hill, the escarpment that stands sentinel over the Naval base of Portsmouth, is Southwick House. Did you know that this elegant Georgian mansion and ancestral home of the Thistlethwayte family was where General Dwight D. Eisenhower, the Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force, made his historic and momentous decision? Committing three million men and 2,727 ships to the operation which turned the tide of World War II. This June, some of our clients visited the Southwick revival event, where there were exclusive tours, speakers and events, and the original maps are still on show.
Enjoy summer with Home Instead Fareham
At Home Instead Fareham, we believe in the importance of helping our clients stay connected with their community and their heritage. Whether it’s a simple day out for fish and chips and to see the local scenery, or a visit to a historic site, we are here to support with companionship and bring a lift to the lives of older adults. We especially enjoy bringing the past to life to enable conversations and spark memories with our clients. Let’s celebrate the history and beauty of our local area and the bravery of those who came before us.
Contact us
To have a professional conversation with one of our friendly team about our outstanding rated home care support for yourself or a loved one, call our local team on 01329 596 706. Or if you would like to join our caring team, you can apply at our website.