A delegation from Oxford United were invited to visit Lincroft Meadow Care Home in Kidlington last week to chat to residents and their families and members of staff.
The group included Chief Strategy Officer Niall McWilliams, SLO Andy Taylor, Safety Officer Michelle Walton, Oxford United in the Community representative Matt Everett, Club Historian Martin Brodetsky and a number of youth team players.
Given a warm welcome on a lovely sunny day, the home put on a barbeque for everyone present, while a saxophonist played in the background and the football club staff and players mingled and chatted with all who attended, signing programmes and having plenty of photos taken.
Also in residence was author and historian Anthony Fletcher, who has written numerous books and is still in the process of writing a book about women who controlled large manor houses in the 15th century. At the age of 82 and with no access to a library, this is no mean feat.
The home’s oldest resident is 102 and she also enjoyed the attention lavished on her by the young footballers, while at the other end of the age spectrum, a number of young children, grandchildren and great grandchildren of the residents, got their Oxford shirts signed by the players.
This sort of community outreach is something that the football club does on a regular basis, although it is rarely publicised. We’d like to thank Lincroft Meadow for the chance to meet their residents and staff, and the residents themselves for giving us such a nice welcome.