Ella Proctor, a resident at MHA Ty Gwyn care home in Penarth, 'seized the day' last week when she was treated to a cinema experience which brought back memories of her days in the circus.

Ella, who recently moved into the care home, loves telling staff about her memories and the amazing adventures she had in her younger years.

Ella and her family were circus folk with Ella herself being a bareback horse rider.

Ella revealed to Neil Chadwick, Community Co-ordinator, that she had heard of a recent blockbuster film which related to the circus and starred Hugh Jackman.

She said she would love to go to the cinema to watch it, so Neil took note and started making arrangements.

However, with the current pandemic closing all cinemas and public venues, staff wondered how they could make Ella's dream come true. Neil Chadwick took on the challenge and turned one of the lounges in the home into a cinema.

Neil set up a projector which was beamed onto a big screen, shut the curtains to set the atmosphere and even produced some tickets for the residents to present on entry into the lounge.

Once everyone was seated, he dished out popcorn and drinks and sweets to really enhance the cinema experience. The lights were then dimmed and the film began.

For the next 105 minutes the resident's eyes were glued to the screen as they watched the movie, nibbling on their cinema snacks.

One member of staff came in and was amazed at how real the cinema experience was, remarking that even the room smelt like a cinema with the popcorn smell.

At the end of the film Ella was so grateful to Neil for going to such a huge effort. She said: "The film was amazing and brought back so many memories of my circus life.

"Neil did such a good job – I actually thought at one point we had left Ty Gwyn and were in a cinema!"

Neil Chadwick said: "It was lovely creating this experience – not just for Ella, but the other residents as well. To help a resident 'seize the day' really gives a sense of accomplishment – more so when you see how much they are enjoying it like Ella did today.

"I am looking forward to the next 'Seize the Day' challenge set to me by a resident."

Seize the Day was created by MHA, a national charity which enables people to live later life well by inspiring the best care and wellbeing. Residents are asked what one thing they would love to achieve, and the initiative then helps that dream come to life.