Signature at Weybridge, a luxury care home nestled in the heart of Weybridge, Surrey, has been celebrating its resident couple’s love stories in the spirit of Valentine’s Day, allowing them to reminisce on their significant others.
One of these couples are Roy and Britte Goodliffe, who have been at the home for over a year.
They first met in February 1985, at a face-to-face dating club called “Entre-nous”, as there was no on-line dating in those days. At the time, Roy was working as a Golf Secretary and Britte was an office manager for an accountancy firm.
The club organised parties and outings to help people meet each other, and it was at one of these parties that Roy met Britte and asked her to dance. It was after this that a romance started to blossom!
Fittingly, Roy asked Britte out on Valentine’s Day shortly after meeting. That same year Britte moved in with Roy, they lived together for a bit, and then got married in 1987. This was the 2nd marriage for both of them.
After eloping on July 3rd, 1987, at the Slough Registry Office with their children and partners, they went off to Spain for their honeymoon.
Together, Roy and Britte have gone through many ups and some downs. When they both retired, they decided to move down to Devon where some of their friends were. In the summer they also used to go over to Sweden each year, as Britte had a summer house there. They also enjoyed quite a few cruises together.
Unfortunately, in 2004, Roy had to have his leg amputated after an incident and 10 years later, Britte was diagnosed with Multiple System Atrophy. As the illness progressed, they had to move from their 4-bedroom house to a 2-bedroom apartment. As things did start to get more difficult for both of them, they made the decision to move to a care home closer to their family, which led them to Signature at Weybridge.
As Signature at Weybridge celebrates the enduring love story of Roy and Britte this Valentine’s Day, the care home invites the local community to embrace the essence of love, friendship, and timeless commitment.
When asked what the secret to his successful 34-year marriage was, Roy shared:
“I believe in always sharing everything with your partner and being as honest as possible. I still remember, when Britte and I went on our honeymoon to Spain, she had never been to a hot country before. When we arrived, she said ‘they ought to turn the engine off’, because it was so warm inside the plane. I laughed and thought ‘what I have I got myself into?’ She has always really amused me.”
When asked about how her marriage has lasted so many decades, Britte said:
”I’m just very lucky. Roy is so even tempered; he never blows up. I definitely can … but he never does. He’s a true gentleman. On our first date, we visited a posh bistro in Datchet, near Windsor. I remember because I was very impressed by his choice! We were also coming from two previous marriages, with two children, and thankfully they all got on really well, still to this day. That has definitely made a difference.”
Sally Castro Gouveia, Client Liaison Manager at Signature at Weybridge, said of the lovebirds:
“It’s always so beautiful to watch our residents speak so fondly of their partners. Whether couples come to join us at Weybridge, or find each other at the home, we love to celebrate and cherish the romantic relationships that are nurtured here.
“At Signature, we love to create an environment where residents can live as independently as possible and continue to maintain the same bonds and relationships as they did previously. So, it is important to us that Roy and Britte have the opportunity to talk about such a significant part of their life and look back at their journey fondly.”
