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As part of our Wishing Tree initiative at Holmer Court, where residents are encouraged to share their life long dreams and happiest memories, Ann wanted to tell us about a magical moment she’ll never forget, the day she flew on Concorde. Ann is a much-loved member of our Holmer Court family. She enjoys chatting with our team and reminiscing about her incredible travels. Her story reminds us all that dreams really can come true, no matter how big or small.
Ann was born on 5th July 1934 in London. Spending her childhood in a children’s home with eight other children and grew up without knowing her birth parents. Instead, the two sisters who ran the home and their father who owned a pub became her family.
She met Dennis and soon after he asked Ann for her hand in marriage, he first had to seek the Aunties permission. They agreed - but only on the condition that Dennis paid £100 before Ann could be with him. Determined, they persevered. Over the course of 12 months, £5 was paid each month until the full amount was met. How times have changed since!
Finally, in 1954, Ann and Dennis were happily married. They built a beautiful life together and welcomed two sons, Colin and Steven. Family meant everything to them and made sure to create happy memories by spending quality time with each other. One of their favourite outings was attending local airshows. It was at one of these airshows that Ann first saw the Concorde. She thought it looked like a graceful white swan soring across the sky. Turning to Dennis, she expressed “I’m going on that one day” Dennis chuckled and replied, “we could never afford that!”
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Many years later, while Ann was casually ironing, she heard on the radio that if you joined the Concorde Fan Club, they were offering a special trip for £300! It was still a lot of money but was determined to make her dream come true. As the deadline to pay approached, they found themselves still a little short. Their kind neighbour stopped Ann and handed her a small tin filled with pennies. She told her “Take what you need". Anne was deeply touched by such a generous gesture, though she couldn’t bring herself to accept such a gift. Instead, through motivation and hard work, Ann and Dennis finally managed to save enough. Her dream was moments away from happening.
Another neighbour offered to drive them to Bletchley train station, from where they set off on their journey to the airport, ready to board the Concorde. Neither of them had ever been to an airport before, so the whole experience felt surreal. Ann was overjoyed that her long-held dream was about to come true but had admitted to feeling slightly nervous.
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The noise of the Concorde reminded her of crumpling paper – like a giant Christmas cracker - and for a moment she feared the plane would fall into pieces. But soon they were flying through the skies, and as they flew over the Bay of Bisque, they broke the sound barrier. Their destination was Paris, the city of love. For three unforgettable days, they explored its wonders: the Notre Dame, Eiffel Tower and even the Mona Lisa at the louvre museum.
Although Ann wished the adventure could last forever, their magical journey eventually came to an end. After their stay in Paris, they returned home – this time on a regular plane. Ann would never forget the moment her dream became reality – the day she flew on Concorde.
'Ann’s story is a beautiful example of how our residents’ lives are filled with incredible memories,’ ‘We love hearing and celebrating these stories, they make Holmer Court such a special place to live.’ said Becky, Wellbeing Lead.
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