“I’m looking forward to going back, but I know it won’t be yet.”  That’s partly because the centre is currently closed because of coronavirus but also because Rose herself caught the virus and was so ill she spent more than two weeks in hospital.

“It was awful, I was the oldest there. But I’m ok, I’m picking up. I am being well looked after by my carers and my family. I have a nice big garden so my sons can come and chat to me.”

Rose has 4 children and a total of 40 grandchildren, great grandchildren and great, great grandchildren. She is proud of her multi-generational family and all their achievements. She recalls the difficulties of schooldays for her generation when she says, “If you didn’t have a halfpenny, you couldn’t go in.” But a year spent with special tuition at Bent’s Green school transformed her, “I came out a different girl.”

Rose worked all her life, including being a land girl during the war and she spent many years with the homecare service. “I’ve never been still, I’ve got an itchy bum as I call it, I always have to be doing something.”

Keeping busy now includes doing a lot of knitting and crochet of baby wear which she will take to SRSB to be sent for premature babies. “I have a pile here waiting, blankets and cardigans and bonnets ready for when we can go back.”

Rose is also hoping to re-join the singing group at SRSB which she helped to form. “Years ago a friend and I had gone into one of the other rooms to chat because people were doing baking and crafts and we decided to start singing, all the old songs you know like My Old Man. And then we had a new man come called David, and he offered to help form a proper singing group.

“As well as singing in the centre we also go round care homes and other places to entertain people. I’ve really had a good time with them.”

Like many of our clients Rose is hoping the virus restrictions will soon be over and she can once again have a day out with her friends at the Mappin Street Centre. They’ll certainly have a lot of catching up to do.