WHAT A SPECTACLE AT CHESTNUT LODGE FOR ELTON JOHN’S BIRTHDAY

Residents at Chestnut Lodge paid homage to Elton John on the occasion of his 78th birthday on Tuesday, with a focus on the star’s well-known passion for unusual eye-wear.

Staff provided a selection of iconic Elton John-style glasses frames for residents to model, and ran a fun prize-draw for the winner who identified the specs most people thought would be the singer’s favourite.

Activities co-ordinator Gary Shackle said: “Elton John is a similar age to many of our residents and a lot of them are fans.

“They remember buying his albums with money from their Saturday jobs, and dancing to his hits from the seventies onwards.

“Some of them have even seen him in concert.

“Elton’s specs are legendary, and apparently he has owned over a quarter of a million pairs, ranging from enormous rhinestone glasses to bespoke 3D ones, specs adorned with feathers, with his initials, with guitars and enormous architectural pairs.

“So we thought it would be a great idea to have a specs-based competition, and our residents thoroughly enjoyed it.

“We also had a singalong to some of his classic hits, like Don’t Go Breaking My Heart, Rocket Man and Crocodile Rock.

“It’s amazing how our well the residents, who are living with dementia, remember all the words – but that reflects how musical memories survive, and we tap into this whenever we can.

“We did an Elton John quiz too. It was a fabulous day.”