An 88-year-old foodie has finally ticked a long-held wish off her bucket list - enjoying her very first visit to Wagamama.
Margaret Banks, who lives at Manor Lodge Care Home, is well known among staff and fellow residents for her adventurous taste in food and love of bold flavours.
However, despite her passion for Asian-inspired cuisine, she had never visited the popular restaurant chain.
When asked to make a wish as part of Care UK’s Wishing Tree initiative, Margaret didn’t hesitate in sharing her desire for a trip to Wagamama.
Staff at the Chelmsford home quickly set about making her wish a reality, arranging a special outing to the local branch, where Margaret was treated to a VIP-style experience.
Speaking about the day, Margaret said she had “always wanted to visit Wagamama” and was excited to finally try it for herself.
“I love Japanese food and lots of my friends had told me how lovely the food is,” she said.
“My favourite thing about Asian-inspired cuisine is that it has so many different flavours.”
During the visit, Margaret sampled a variety of dishes, including squid, bang bang cauliflower and prawn noodles - with the squid emerging as her standout favourite.
She added: “It felt absolutely fantastic to finally visit the restaurant.
“I would definitely give every dish 10 out of 10.
"The team made sure I had the best experience - I’m already thinking about my next visit.”
Care home staff affectionately dubbed the outing a “Waga-Margaret” experience, celebrating her enthusiasm throughout the day.
Natasha Webster, home manager at Manor Lodge, said the trip was an important reminder that new experiences should be encouraged at any age.
“Margaret is a real foodie and always enjoys trying different flavours, so when she told us she’d never been to Wagamama, we knew we had to make it happen,” she said.
“It’s incredibly important to us that residents continue to enjoy new experiences and tick off things they’ve always wanted to do. Seeing Margaret’s reaction and hearing her reviews of the dishes was fantastic.”
The Wishing Tree initiative encourages residents to suggest activities, hobbies or outings they would like to experience - from simple pleasures to lifelong ambitions.
Manor Lodge Care Home, which is rated outstanding by the Care Quality Commission, provides residential, dementia, nursing and respite care.
The home also features facilities including a cinema, café and hair and beauty salon, designed to support residents in leading active and fulfilling lives.
Share