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Chelsea Pensioners look forward to a brighter 2021 

The pandemic has meant it’s been a very difficult year for us all. The Chelsea Pensioners are no exception and have missed getting out and about. Nevertheless, they’ve put a brave face on it and, as one Chelsea Pensioner puts it, “the banter continues”. They’ve drawn on the stamina of old soldiers to get through these challenging months and are hoping for a brighter 2021.

Here they tell us what they’re looking forward to when the restrictions are lifted.

“I want to go on a silversmithing course. And John and I are going to go out much more on our tuk tuks (that’s what we call our mobility scooters). We want to go to the Science Museum and round there. We’ve got plans. This is not the end of the world. It’s going to be over.

I think it will make us appreciate things more. To a certain extent, the enjoyment comes when you’ve had the bad side, something you don’t like. Otherwise you don’t have anything for comparison. The comparison at the moment is lockdown and we don’t like that so anything that frees us up to go out and do things can only make it better!”

“I’m looking forward to giving my daughter a hug, spending time with family – and getting outside the gate! I want to get back into the world and to go to the countryside, visit the mountains in Wales and that sort of thing. I love the open spaces - trees and woods, forests and mountains – and I miss them terribly. I’m starting to get familiar to each of the trees and bushes in Ranelagh Gardens now!”

“I want to go for a celebration meal in one of my favourite restaurants” – Mick

“I’m looking forward to going outside. I want to go for a celebration meal in one of my favourite restaurants – like the Italian restaurant opposite where New Scotland Yard used to be. I’m a tour guide for the Royal Hospital and I doubt we’ll be doing any tours for a while. I do a talk entitled ‘Broken by age and war’ – I can modify it to ‘unbroken by age, war and coronavirus!”

“I can’t wait to restock the freezer with Cornettos!” – Mike

“When this is finally over I’m so looking forward to being able to shop and restock the freezer with Cornettos! I want to get a new antenna for the radio club here, organise some schools visits and most of all go for a meal with friends outside.”

“I’ve got a disabled brother – he’s deaf and can’t speak on the phone so I’m sending letters to let him know I’m thinking about him. I want to go and see him and the rest of my family and friends in Gloucester. And I just keep thinking I can’t wait to get into a supermarket and buy the things I want to eat! I lost about 12lbs in 10 days when I was poorly with coronavirus. Now I keep thinking I’d like a spaghetti bolognaise, or a roast dinner with beautiful roast potatoes and all the trimmings!”

“I miss going to the club” - William

“It’s been OK during lockdown – I just miss going to the Chelsea Pensioners’ Club.”

“The first thing I’m going to do is go and see the kids. The second thing is to visit my friend Ron. I’m also looking forward to either getting underwater with a camera, or beside the water with a fishing rod. I want to get out in the fresh air.”