A STOURBRIDGE care home has reunited one of its residents with his former vicar after three decades.

Leonard 'Len' Passey, a resident at Oriel Care Home in Hagley Road, Oldswinford, first met Reverend John Flitcroft at Holy Trinity Church in Smethwick 30 years ago when he was a regular churchgoer.

Struggles with his mobility in later life, however, kept him away from attending church services in more recent times.

But now thanks to trips arranged by wellbeing staff at the care home in Hagley Road to St Mary's Church in Oldswinford, he has been able to reconnect with the vicar from his former church.

He said: “I was both surprised and shocked for all the right reasons to find that Rev John Flitcroft is now at St Mary’s – I first met him back in in the 1980s. It was very nice to see him again.

“Due to my lack of mobility, I’ve really struggled to make it to any church services. But, thanks to the staff at the home, I am now able to get back into the church way of life.”

Len now attends services on Thursday and Sunday mornings with fellow residents Ronald Garbett, aged 87, and 84-year-old Valerie Whittaker.

Ronald said: “I’ve been attending church since I was five-years-old. 

“I used to go a lot, but unfortunately it was slipping due to ill health.”

Having moved into Oriel Care Home in January 2023, Ronald was unable to attend his regular place of worship because it was too far away.

He said: "Thanks to the staff and help from a physiotherapist I am now able to make the journey to church twice a week and this means a great deal to me.”

Gary Fowkes, activities co-ordinator at the care home, said: “We recognise the important role religion has played in the lives of our residents.

“We wanted to make sure their spiritual needs were being met and they felt connected - not only to the church, but also to the wider community.

“Being able to take the residents to and from church and seeing how much it means to them to be able to pray in their place of worship is a really fulfilling part of my role here at the home.”

For resident Valerie, the church services are also a chance to chat with people from the community, which she looks forward to every week.

She said: “I used to go to St Mary’s many years ago, so it’s been wonderful being able to return and enjoy hearing the prayers and the hymns.

“I particularly enjoy the congregation get-together after the service where we enjoy tea and biscuits – they make you feel so welcome as part of the church and community.”

Reverends John Flitcroft and Anthony Perry, at St Mary’s Church in Rectory Road, said, “We give thanks to the residents at Oriel Care Home for attending the services and to the staff who make it possible for them to attend to meet their spiritual needs.”