Banbury couple reunited for 60th wedding anniversary

Wendy Andrews had not seen her husband, Colin, at all during the lockdown after visiting the Banbury care home where he lives nearly every day to see him over the past seven years.

She said: "Not being able to see him for 15 weeks - that's a long time."

Colin Andrews, who has dementia, lives at the Glebefields Care Home in Drayton, Banbury.

The care home staff helped arrange for the couple to meet outside at a safe distance so they could celebrate their diamond wedding anniversary on Thursday June 25.

Wendy said: "It was wonderful. It couldn't have been any better.

"They brought him outside, and we had to keep our distance.

"We couldn't touch him or hold him or anything like that, but it was really good. I think he recognised us."

The Andrews family were quite appricative of the care home who helped organise the anniversary reunion.

Wendy added: "The chef made a cake, and all the nurses came outside. There was a big 60 balloon. They made a big effort so that was really lovely.

"They even wrote me a card from Colin, and I had some red roses. It was just lovely."

The family later carried on the anniversary celebrations in the garden at the couple's daughter's Wroxton home with a few other relatives.

Sanchia Andrews, Wendy and Colin's daughter, said: "It was nice for mum. It was quite an emotional time because mum hadn't seen him for such a long time.

"It was amazing. I'm so glad it happened. It was just so lovely for mum to see him on their anniversary."

Wendy met Colin Andrews when he was serving in the Royal Air Force (RAF) in Nottinghamshire.

She said: "I met him at the local dance. Then he went off to Cyprus (in the RAF). When he was in Cyprus I started my nurse's training. He only did his National Service for two years and came back to Banbury. I was still living in Worksop. It wasn't as easy back then.

"So Colin said 'let's get married.' I transferred to Banbury, and finished my nurse's training at the Horton in Banbury."

Throughout most their 60-year marriage the couple have lived in and around the Banbury area. Wendy's career in nursing included time at Horton General Hospital and she later worked at West Bar Surgery. Colin Andrews had a career in carpentry in the Banbury area.

When asked what the secret to a long and happy marriage Wendy called working together as a couple important.

She said: "There's lots of things you have to learn. We had our differences, but you work it out. I think people give up too easy these days."

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