Our resident and former drummer, Alfred was treated to a rocking reunion thanks to our dedicated team members, who arranged for his band to surprise him.

Alfred Hudson, 88, was a founding member of the Uttoxeter Town Band playing drums with them for many years. He moved into our home, Barrowhill Hall, located in Rocester, on the Derbyshire/Staffordshire border, in May 2022. We are a 74-bedroom residential and nursing home and we specialise in caring for those living with dementia and memory loss.

Alfred was smiling from ear to ear when the band’s musical director, Rob Smith, along with the whole ensemble, came to play for him and the residents in our lounge.

Sally-Ann Davis arranged the surprised with the home’s dedicated activities team. “It was a very emotional afternoon,” she said. “We were very excited as it had taken months of planning, but it was so worth it. Alfred’s face lit up like a child’s at Christmas when they get the gift they want, he was overwhelmed with excitement.

“He remembered some of the band members, but the drum set was the first thing to catch his attention. He just looked at them and said: “I’m going on them!”, he couldn’t wait to play on them.

Rob Smith said: “It was great to see Alfred. When he was doing his own rhythm he had no issue playing the drums at all. He could knock out a tune on the drum kit quite easily. He was also able to drum along to some of the pieces we played as well.

“Alfred was a key member of the band and a great player. He was always a bit of a character! He was also very community driven and even when he retired from playing with us, he still used to come along to the rehearsals to sit and listen. When he stopped attending, I couldn’t locate where he was but through a contact, I managed to find him at Barrowhill Hall.

“The home arranged a suitable date for the surprise, and it was brilliant. I think Alfred recognised me and he certainly knew the band and the music. We asked him if he had a favourite song for us to play and he said, ‘All of them’!”.

The Uttoxeter Town Band played songs they knew to be Alfred’s favourites from ‘Beyond The Sea’ and ‘Bring Me Sunshine’, to ‘Great Escape’ and ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’. As well as playing with them Alfred’s musical background includes being a military bandman, playing in a brass band and playing in a rock band called ‘Rockin’ Jonny’, which performed Bill Haley songs such as ‘Rock Around the Clock’.

Of the rock band Alfred said: “We had some good nights! The best night we ever had was for a big firm called Lancashire Dynamo at Rugeley, playing at a big do for them. It was a fantastic night, and the boss said he’d never had such a good group there and he paid us extra.”

Alfred also recalled a childhood memory where his natural talent with instruments came in useful;

‘When we were young lads, we used to go carol singing like everyone else and we weren’t very good singers. I thought, ‘hang on, I’ll go into Carters the musical shop’, and I bought a harmonica. Instead of singing I used to play the carols on that, and we ended up with our pockets full of money!”

The team here have been supporting Alfred’s musical talent,. We bought a small drum which he and the other residents are able to use and we regularly hold music sessions in our lounge, where a variety of instruments are used.

Our home manager, Dania Meadows, said: “We love to celebrate our residents and their talents. Music in general gives all our residents a lift. It’s very mood boosting and we regularly have live singers performing for them and we hold music sessions at our home.

“This event was very special though and it meant a lot to the team to be able to organise it. Alfred gave so much to his community it’s been incredible to be able to give something back to him.”