When a resident joins us at a care home, we take time to get to know them and their family history. This helps staff to make connections, sparks conversations and helps us to provide more person-centred cared and support. Old photos and family background information is a great way for people to reminisce with staff and other residents helping to build friendships and bonds.
Our residents have all had fascinating lives and we spoke to eighty-two-year-old Pam Ward who lives at Lakeview Lodge Care Home in Milton Keynes about her career in the shipping industry.
Pam was born on 6th December 1938 in Vancouver, Canada. Her family had moved there from San Francisco, where her father had been working for Sir William Reardon Smith & Co., a Cardiff based shipping Company. As part of a "Shipping Family", her father was Executive Director, her uncle was a Captain and her brother a Chief Engineer, all with the same Company over the years.
When her father was promoted, the family moved back to Cardiff, South Wales. Pam was 6 months old when they returned and had a happy childhood, with her older brother and sister. She left school at age sixteen to start work.
Pam followed in her father’s footsteps and joined Sir William Reardon Smith & Co. She rose through the ranks to become P.A. to the Chairman. This job was very important to her, and she felt very lucky to travel to places such as South Africa as a part of her role.
In her spare time, Pam was an enthusiastic member of the Cardiff branch of The Caledonian Society. The Caledonian Society bringing together members with an interest in Scotland and its history and builds on a number of age-old traditions. The Society has a number of events where Scots can share their culture and get to know each other. She was a competitive member and took part in many competitions & demonstrations both in the UK & abroad.
Due to her Shipping connections and interest in all things Maritime, in 1995 Pam became a member of The Worshipful Company of Shipwrights, a very old organisation based in London. Originally formed to safeguard the quality of shipbuilding in London, the Shipwrights’ Company provides support to organisations, charities, educational institutions and individuals. As part of this prestigious organisation, she attended many functions and met several members of Royalty and many other distinguished people. As a result of her hard work & support, Pam was awarded 'The Freedom of the City of London’ in 1996 by the then Lord Mayor of London.
Pam was also a member of The Welsh Livery Guild, another revered Shipping Organisation in Cardiff. Again, due to her hard work and support, she held the position of Master Steward for several years. Pam was very enthusiastic about everything she did in the maritime world and still retains a keen interest in shipping and travel. Pam has always been a very popular person with many friends, the one thing Pam adores most is her family and is a much-loved Aunt, Great Aunt & Great Great Aunt.
For more information about life at Lakeview Lodge Care Home please get in touch with Customer Relations Manager Maria Moore on 01908 641200 or email maria.moore@countrycourtcare.com.
