Engelberg care home residents meet Wolves legends

Wolverhampton, West Midlands – [20/05/2025] – A group of lifelong football fans from Engelberg Care Home in Wolverhampton were treated to an unforgettable day at Molineux Stadium this week, thanks to the generosity of Wolverhampton Wanderers and the club’s charitable foundation, Wolves Wishes.

The five residents – all devoted Wolves supporters – enjoyed a special behind-the-scenes tour of the iconic ground, met two of the club’s greatest ever players, Steve Bull MBE and John Richards, and were showered with gifts and warm hospitality.

The visit was sparked by a TikTok video shared by the care home earlier this year, showing residents enjoying the Wolves vs. Aston Villa match. The heart-warming clip caught the attention of the club, leading to this exclusive invitation.

Daniel Cash, Home Manager at Engelberg Care Home, said: "Today five of our residents were invited to the Molineux for a stadium tour and to meet some of Wolves’ all-time legends. Meeting Steve Bull and John Richards – who are the Messi and Ronaldo of Wolverhampton – was a dream come true for them.

“John’s connection to Engelberg is especially touching. His mother-in-law was once a resident, and he’s kindly offered to support future fundraising events at the home.”

The residents enjoyed a private tour of the Wolves Museum, light refreshments, goodie bags filled with Wolves merchandise, and quality time with their footballing heroes. The experience was made even more special by the players’ warmth and humour.

Karyn, Wellbeing Lead at Engelberg, added: "The whole Wolves team were wonderful. Everything was so well organised, and they really considered our residents’ needs. Steve and John didn’t just pop in – they took time with each person, sharing stories and laughter. You could tell they genuinely cared."

One highlight saw resident Bob, a Villa supporter, jokingly escorted from the room by John Richards.

"It was all in good fun – and Bob couldn’t believe it! He was almost speechless," laughed Karyn.

Another touching moment came from Ivy, a lifelong Wolves fan, who lit up the room with her radiant smile.

"I’ve never seen her grin so wide. I thought her cheeks were going to pop off!" said Karyn.

Claire Fry, Operations Director at Ashberry Healthcare, commented: "When a resident comes into our care, life doesn’t stop, it’s a new chapter, full of opportunities to create meaningful moments and lasting memories. We’re incredibly proud of the wellbeing journey experiences across our homes, and it’s thanks to the creativity and compassion of our teams that these moments are made possible.

“We’ve developed our teams to feel confident and empowered to bring these ideas to life, and this visit to Molineux is a fantastic example of that spirit in action."

For the five residents, it wasn’t just a day out, it was the realisation of a lifelong dream, filled with history, heroes, and memories they’ll treasure forever.