Store lays on special trip for Marks and Spencer ‘superfan’ aged 101

101-year-old Frances Blair from Aberdeen, who has always been a devoted Marks & Spencer shopper

A 101-year-old care home resident, described as a Marks & Spencer ‘superfan’, has had her wish of a VIP trip to the store granted.

Frances Blair, from Aberdeen, has always been a devoted Marks & Spencer shopper.

She has been living in the Tor-Na-Dee care home in Milltimber for the past four years but one of her biggest hopes has been to revisit the M&S on St Nicholas Street, Aberdeen.

She would spend hours browsing clothing, jewellery, and gifts at the shop when she went to visit with her daughters and friends.

When staff at Tor-Na-Dee learned that the centenarian wanted to return to the shop, they organised a special day out to visit another branch in the area, as the one on St Nicholas Street has since closed.

On arrival Frances, along with her daughter, Pat, and fellow residents, Katherine Clark and May Bremner, received a red-carpet-worthy welcome complete with flowers and alcohol-free fizz.

They then enjoyed a pamper session in the beauty department, where they were treated to hand massages and facials, before spending the afternoon browsing the latest clothing and jewellery collections.

Before they left, shop manager Grace Barnett presented the special guests with goodie bags filled with some of their favourite treats, including shortbread, sweets and skincare products.

Frances said: “I enjoyed the cafe and being shown around the different departments.

“I loved the pampering; it made me feel special and like a VIP.”

The visit was made possible thanks to Care UK’s Wishing Tree initiative, which encourages residents to suggest ideas for new hobbies they’d like to try, places they’d like to visit or even activities linked to past careers.

Sue Jones-Wood, home manager at Tor-Na-Dee, said: “We were delighted to create such a memorable day for Frances and her guests by taking them on a trip to remember to Marks & Spencer. The visit enabled her to reconnect with something so special and to reminisce about cherished memories.

“Our Wishing Tree initiative is a great way for residents to share their dreams and passions, and it’s incredibly rewarding to be able to make these a reality.”