Life Stories - East End Girl, Bernadette

Bernadette, a resident at Lansbury Court Care Home,  grew up a young carefree girl, working in a bar in Coot Hill, County Cavan, Ireland.  When she met her husband-to-be, Danny, he was serving in the army in Northern Ireland. In 1967 the couple decided to move to Sunderland, where Danny’s family lived.  It was here that they got married and then settled in Sunderland’s East End. Times were hard during the 60s and 70s, but the people of the East End stuck together and helped each other out. There was, and still is, a strong community. Bernadette made a lot of friends and found work in a local pub washing glasses and sometimes serving beers, which she enjoyed. Bernadette spent many of her holidays in Majorca, and whilst very fond of her roots in Ireland, has no regrets about coming to live and work in England. Bernadette is 75 years old and has been living at Lansbury Court Care Home for around a year and a half. She has made friends, joins in with group activities and enjoys going out on day trips.