Sheffield nursing home resident aged 102 sent champagne in “heartwarming” response to viral tweet

The manager of Broomgrove Nursing Home, Donna Pierpoint, tweeted that Mrs Senior asked carers for “champagne for breakfast” after a period of severe illness the previous weekend.

The carers at the home, which is based off Ecclesall Road, told her they only had prosecco available, to which Mrs Senior replied: “Oh, that will have to do.”

Mrs Pierpoint said she wanted to share this “moment of laughter and happiness” of which the response has been “heartwarming”.

The tweet, which included a photograph of Mrs Senior drinking the prosecco, received over 13,000 likes, well-wishes from people across the world and led to three complete strangers sending her a bottle of champagne.

Mrs Pierpoint said: “I actually felt really guilty at first because I didn't mean for this to happen and it wasn’t why I put it on. In all this darkness there’s people out there who are just so kind and want to do something.”

One of the bottles was sent by Colin McIntosh, from Largs in Scotland, who said “random acts of kindness are essential”.

Mr McIntosh said: “I was touched by the tweet. I liked the fact that at 102-years-old, Winnie has champagne tastes.”

Mrs Senior, who was born and raised in Sheffield, has dementia and has lived at the nursing home since 2017.

She turned 21-years-old the day before the Second World War began, worked in the family business and made her money on the stock market.

Mrs Senior’s daughter, Sally Woods, said her mum was worried about moving to a nursing home after hearing “all the bad stories” but believes those at the nursing home have been “amazing”.

Mrs Woods, who lives in the Lake District, had been to visit her mum while she was unwell. She said: “I was called down because they thought she was dying. I went in and it was one of the most profound things I’ve ever experienced in my life. It was incredible that Donna allowed that.

“I think she's found peace with herself and she was in this space that was just so beautiful. If she’d have died then what a space to die in.”

In these confusing and worrying times, local journalism is more vital than ever. Thanks to everyone who helps us ask the questions that matter by taking out a digital subscription or buying a paper. We stand together. Nancy Fielder, editor.