Residents blast off on moon landing anniversary activities

BLAST OFF for Saltburn care home residents as they marked the anniversary of the first manned mission to the moon.

Residents at Hazelgrove Court Care Home, on Randolph Street, had their space passports at the ready as they embarked on their own, virtual space flight.

Using a space flight simulator on their tablet computers, residents took the helm of a shuttle as they glided through space.

The activity was organised to mark 51 years since Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin took the first steps on the surface of the moon.

Many of the residents can still remember watching the historic event on the television in July 1969.

Barbara Millikin, 77, was 26 years old when the moon landing took place. She said: “I watched it on TV and knew it was a massive event that would go down in history.”

Mike Oddy, 56, was just five years old at the time, but can remember watching the event with his family. He said: “I remember watching it with my mam and dad and it gave me a love of planets when I was a kid. When I got older, I always wanted to visit the Lovell Telescope at Jodrell Bank but haven’t been yet.”

Donald Ingledew, 89, was 38 in 1969. He said: “I remember watching the moon landing on TV. People were coming up with a lot of space jokes at the time. My favourite was: How does NASA organise a party? They planet.”

Alongside the shuttle flight simulator and reminiscing about the first moon landing, residents also spent the day creating intergalactic passports, which included descriptions of themselves and a picture of their favourite planet.

Residents were also given a paper rocket to fill with ten things they would take to the moon. Resident Joyce Tibbett, 84, wrote: “Family photos, mascot, sweets, bible, shandy, puzzle books, mobile phone, men, clock and notebooks.”

Asked why she included “men” on her list, Joyce said: “So they can do repairs if needed.”

Sharon Lewis, activities coordinator at Hazelgrove Court Care Home, said: “The residents really enjoyed the Shuttle flight simulator app. Our journey into space was great fun.

“Listening to the residents’ memories of the moon landing was a lot of fun. They were all different ages but they all remember watching it on TV and knowing it was a moment for the history books.”