Peter Gordon, Meadowlark Care Home

Another member of Meadowlark’s Olympic team is Peter Gordon, aged 96. Peter grew up close to Fochabers, attending school three miles from his home until he was 14-years-old. His father was a farm worker who served in the Black Watch during World War One while his mother worked on the farm and at home.

Peter started a grocer’s apprenticeship in 1939. While an apprentice, Gordon Castle in Fochabers was taken over by the crown and was used as a base for soldiers to stay after Dunkirk. Peter visited the officers to bring them food and supplies, including cigarettes and chocolate if available.

Reflecting on this time, Peter said: “I was called to volunteer for the RAF, before volunteering for the Paratroopers in 1944. During my training, I completed eight jumps at an airport in Manchester, three of which were from a hot air balloon at night. I was super fit, and it was amazing to see all of the lights below!

“I later served in Palestine, and was headhunted by the intelligence section, though I turned this down and returned home to Elgin. I became a grocer and married my wife Kathleen in 1952, before my children John and Joyce were born. We then moved to Forres where a job had come up in a grocers with a house – that was an easy decision to make.

“I have been at Meadowlark Care Home since last March. The past year has been hard for a lot of people, but I wrote letters to my family and friends to keep in touch and pass the time.

“The staff have been amazing at thinking of activities to keep us busy too, and the Renaissance Care Olympics was no exception. I’ve gotten back into my walking and have been able to double my walking distance which is quite a feat at 96.

“I really embraced the Olympics - it gave me a really good laugh, helped everyone in the home reconnect after a year of staying safe in our rooms, and showed me I can do a lot for myself. There must be something hardcore in me that I don’t give up!”