Qualified psychiatric nurses, now retired, Stuart and Jackie Roberts have been lived in Poole, on and off, for 40 years.
They met and married in Sudbury, Suffolk in 1975 and moved around the country taking various posts as they gained promotion before settling in Poole where they worked both for NHS and the private sector, caring for the elderly mentally ill.
They have two grown up children in their 40s and one grandchild, now almost 16.
Having a gap year later in life, when Stuart was 58 and Jackie 48 and spending a year based in Thailand travelling around Asia, in their retirement they focus on doing things they enjoy. They are Lighthouse Great Friends.
Why did you first start coming to Lighthouse and when?
We started coming to Lighthouse when it was still Poole Arts Centre when we here in 1983. We came because it meant that we did not have to travel long distances for entertainment as our children were then only three and two and there was – and still is – entertainment for the whole family under one roof.
What do you enjoy most about coming here?
There is first class entertainment on our doorstep that it is excellent value for money.
What are the best experiences/memories you have had here?
Seeing artists like Chris de Burgh, The Spinners, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Graham Norton, and all the others over the years, up close.
Also, Stuart has been a member of Poole Leisure Painters for about eight years. It has become a regular part of his week, every Tuesday and Friday from 10am to 3pm, where we meet to enjoy painting and socialising with the other members. There are about 50 members who attend when they can. It’s a very friendly group with various levels of ability and two or three exhibitions a year.
Why did you first join in to support us?
During lockdown Lighthouse had no income and we decided that we needed to support it or we ran the risk of losing Lighthouse and all the brilliant facilities it provides.
How have you supported us, and why?
We have continually supported you by coming to various performances over the last 40 years and hope to continue to for as long as possible. We became Friends first and then decided that there was a greater need for support, so became Great Friends. We have also donated to various appeals as we do not wish to lose our wonderful facility.
What difference are you making to what we do?
We are enabling Lighthouse to support people with various special needs. It’s a cause close to our hearts as we were both psychiatric nurses caring for the elderly mentally ill and children with various disabilities. They all need entertainment as much as everybody else.
What do you hope your support will help us to achieve?
We hope that our continued support will help you to continue to provide more excellent entertainment, including support for the various groups that use your function rooms.
Why should others help support our work?
We believe that others should help continue to support you otherwise we run the risk of there being no local, first class entertainment centre.
:: To find out more about Lighthouse Friends and ways to support Lighthouse and its work, visit https://www.lighthousepoole.co.uk/support-us/
:: To find out more about Poole Leisure Painters visit https://www.pooleleisurepainters.org.uk/
