Richard Robinson, a one-hundred-year-old former sailor, took a nostalgic trip back to his old haunt, the Royal Lymington Yacht Club, where he used to sail.
Robinson, who was a member of the club for 40 years, enjoyed lunch and a coffee morning, courtesy of staff from his Lymington care home, Colten Care’s Court Lodge.
Born in France in 1923, Robinson joined the esteemed yacht club in 1981. Much of his subsequent four decades were spent sailing his 26-foot Griffon boat Celtic.
Court Lodge care workers coordinated with club officials to orchestrate the nostalgic reunion after Robinson expressed a desire to reconnect with old associates.
Club historian Graham Clarke played host for the half-day trip, during which lively conversations revolved around anecdotes of sailing, the Royal Lymington Cup, and the town's regatta.
Robinson also intrigued members with his account of his grandfather's Dinky Toy factory in France and his later work there producing the popular scale model vehicle toys.
Also proficient in Danish and Arabic, in addition to his native French and English, Robinson's diverse experiences added to the day's fascination.
The club, established in 1922, a year before his birth, extended an invitation to Richard to make a return visit in September. His adventure home was reminiscent of days when the Lymington River Sailing Club thrived, pre-suspension during the First World War.
Historian Graham said: “What a pleasure it was to see Richard back at the ‘Royal’, where members were fascinated to hear his anecdotes, not just of his time as a member but also from his century of memories.
“We pride ourselves on welcoming visitors, and never more so than when they have such interesting history of their own.”
Court Lodge Companionship Team Leader Julia Puia said: “Richard took a very active part in the morning gathering. The members found him very interesting to talk to and they had lots of history and reflections on sailing in common.
“Although he was born in France, Richard has loved living in Lymington over the years and the visit brought back many happy memories for him.”
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