A 95-year-old care home resident was filled with happy memories when a Brownie troop reunited her with a long-lost badge.

Launton Grange care home resident Constance Gardner was delighted when Bicester Brownies presented her with the trefoil badge, depicting the Brownies promise symbol, which Ms Garnder had misplaced after she was originally awarded it over 80 years ago.

When the staff at the care home, in Bicester, and the group leaders at Bicester Brownies heard Ms Gardner’s tales of her days as a Brownie and her lost trefoil badge, they were keen to help.

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On their next visit to the care home – to which they are frequent guests – the brownies awarded Ms Gardner with a new trefoil badge, which they managed to locate despite the design no longer being in circulation.

Ms Gardner said: “I was so touched that someone would go to so much effort to find something that meant so much to me.

“I am very grateful to everyone involved, and I cannot wait for the girls to come back and sing us some more songs.”

The former brownie’s love for the organisation stayed strong through her adult years, with her daughter, grandchildren, great grandchildren and great great grandchildren following in her footsteps.

She added: “The best parts of being a brownie were singing and learning new things.

“We used to have a campfire and dance around the toadstools.

“I learnt how to tie knots and how to set a table correctly for royalty; if I ever had a chance to meet the King, I would know how to lay a table correctly.”

Elizabeth Joanna, from the Bicester Brownies, said: “It was a privilege to reunite Ms Gardner with her trefoil badge and hear the residents talk about their experiences with the brownies.

“We’re looking forward to coming back to Launton Grange to show her all the different uniforms from throughout the years.

Home Manager at Launton Grange Stephanie Eley said: “We can’t thank the Bicester Brownies enough for their generosity and kindness.

“It was wonderful to see the joy on Ms Gardner’s face when she was presented with her badge. She immediately called her family to tell them all about it.

“We hope to see the Bicester Brownies again very soon.”

Launton Grange is a residential and dementia care home located in Bicester and rated good by the Care Quality Commission.

With 66 ensuite bedrooms, attractive decor and freely accessible gardens, Launton Grange claims to deliver person-centred care in a dignified manner, promoting independence as far as possible.

 

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This story was written by Matthew Norman, he joined the team in 2022 as a Facebook community reporter.

Matthew covers Bicester and focuses on finding stories from diverse communities.

Get in touch with him by emailing: Matthew.norman@newsquest.co.uk

Follow him on Twitter: @OxMailMattN1