A CARE home resident and retired grocer was given the chance to turn back the clock and head back to work.

Ron Harden, who is 90, worked in supermarkets for more than three decades and had especially fond memories of his time in the fruit and vegetable section at supermarket giants Sainsbury’s.

After reminiscing with staff at Colonia Court Bupa care home in St Andrew’s Avenue, Colchester, about his working life, activities co-ordinator Dawn Kirkland decided to take action.

She arranged for him to visit the nearby Waitrose store as part of the home’s Never Too Late campaign.

The initiative runs across all Bupa homes with the aim of allowing residents to live life to the full.

After making the arrangements, Ron was invited to work alongside head of fruit and vegetables Matt Banks and was given a behind the scenes look at the store.

He said he was delighted to see how things had moved on since his heyday.

“I was over the moon when the home told me I would be going back to work for the day,” he said.

“The staff at Waitrose were so lovely to me and I felt like one of the team.

“It was surprising to see how things have changed.

“I had to spend much of my shifts chopping up the fruit, they deal with it completely differently now.

“They even package the produce differently.”

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Care home general manager Pauline Thornton said: “It was great to see the joy this experience brought Ron.

“The staff at Waitrose really made the effort to make him feel welcome and involved.

“He had so many stories to share with everyone when he got back to the home.”

“We try to organise as many personalised surprises and activities like this as possible.

“Everyone has got things they are passionate about and being in a care home shouldn’t get in the way of experiencing them.”