It’s not always easy getting used to change. New places, new faces and new routines are adjustments that The Peatfield Family have had to adapt to through two big milestones in their story.

Patricia (Pat) Peatfield moved into Branthwaite Care Home in March 2025, 17 years after her daughter Nichola packed her bags and took a one way flight to Australia. Two big decisions, two big moves - one resilient family.

Pat’s Story:

Pat was born in December 1940, the youngest of 5 children in a very tight knit family. Her Father passed away when she was only 2 years old and with no benefits available at the time, Pat's Mother developed a sheer determination for her children 'not to be taken away from her'. She worked many jobs to make ends meet and Pats older siblings were often responsible for the caring of the younger ones. Although the family had very little money, they were very happy and Pat has often reminisced on a time when her Mother would come home from her job on the railways with broken sweets and biscuits from the carriages - a big treat in those days!

Pat detested school and on her last day at the age of 14, she threw her school hat straight into the river, an act which her family mark as the first sign of her feisty personality which she brought through into adult life. At 25 years old, Pat married David following a blossoming romance after a first date in the local pub 'The Brick and Tile'. The two had grown up just around the corner from each other and attended the same school as well as both being members of the local football teams.

Patricia and David photographed on the opening day of Carr Hill School

Nichola & Simon

Pat & David’s Silver Wedding Anniversary

Simon was born in 1996, quickly followed by Nichola in 1967. They lived a generally happy and fulfilling family life, full of laughter and love until David fell unwell in 1989, living to make their silver wedding anniversary in 1990 but passed away later that year. Pat then had to adjust to her new normal without David, this change helped massively by the families now growing brood of grandchildren. During this period Pat concentrated on her passion of crosswords and won a number of competitions in 'Take a Break' including a supermarket trolley dash and an all inclusive holiday to Corfu! It was on this holiday, at 70 years old that Pat finally learned how to swim (in the children's club) and even received a certificate.

Pat’s ‘Take a Break’ Supermarket Trolley Dash

Pat has always been known as the life and soul of the party, and her famous house parties with her (very potent) homemade punch are memories Nichola has cherished since her big move down under.

Nichola trained as a nurse and midwife in the early 2000's and after a few years working in Worksop and Sheffield, started to wonder what life would be like in a different country. After a very cold January 2008, she was sat wearing her dressing gown over many layers of clothes and could not get warm and simply wanted some heat in her life and bones. Her youngest son was 12 at the time and they would be constant visitors to A&E with his asthma, so in a nutshell she applied for a job, had a telephone interview, got the job and later on in 2008 moved to Australia! They brought one suitcase each, put a pin in the map around the Hospital where Nichola was going to work, picked schools, and off they went.

Moving across the world has many challenges, but the Peatfield family adjusted and made the most of the times they did spend together such as in 2016, when Nichola came home with her new Australian Husband for a blessing in Ordsall Church where Pat gave her away.

Nichola & Pat at Ordsall Church 2016

Pat started displaying signs of memory loss around 2021, at first she was forgetting names and things she had done, but as time went on her family realised there was a bigger issue taking hold. It was during a family trip to Scotland they noticed a decline in Pat's cognition, and realised they needed to get support for her. Luckily, the still close knit family came together and played their part in supporting Pat, with Nichola managing to travel back and forth from Australia to the UK every 6-9 months spending 2 months each visit helping her Mum. Despite this tremendous coming together of the family, the decision was made that Pat needed a 24 hour care setting, and following recommendations and visits, Branthwaite Care home welcomed Pat in March 2025.

"As much as it’s hard being so far away from Mum and having to try and relinquish being the carer and organiser of it all, it’s such a huge relief knowing Mum is now safe and enjoying her new home and as the staff keep me updated with Mums plan of care it is definitely becoming much easier to relax now. The staff set up a video call with me once per week so I can chat with Mum, I am so grateful for this, it’s something so small but means so much to me and helps me to stay connected with Mum until I can visit again. Relish is also such a huge part of me feeling connected and seeing what Mum has been doing. As soon as I wake in the morning I can see what Mum did the day before. The family can also upload photos for the staff to show Mum which certainly helps us keep connected"