Ipswich care home hosts memorial walk to Michael Hadgraft

Michael Hadgraft, from Ipswich, was a well loved resident at Shaftesbury House Care Home and is remembered for his warm nature and always making people smile.

Mr Hadgraft died in February after living with dementia but had spent many years of his life as part of the performance group, The Company of Four.

The group walked over 10 miles (Image: Lorna Gull)

Staff at the Cowper Street care home held a memorial walk at the weekend to raise money for Alzheimer's UK and Dementia UK and so far have amassed nearly £2,000. 

Lorna Gull, a staff member of Shaftesbury House, said that "Michael was the life and soul of a party".

She added: "He kept this going to the very end and didn’t let dementia steal the heart of this warm loving man.

"He was the type of person who would stand up on the stage, rip up the script and make it his own,

"He was an Ipswich man who was well known for his work with the Company of Four."

Family and Friends of Michael came to honour his memory (Image: Lorna Gull)

Michael leaves behind his beloved wife Shirley, who has become very close with the staff and still visits the home. 

To honour Michael's memory, Lorna, Shirley and other members of his friends and family completed a sponsored walk on Sunday, August 11 to raise money for Alzheimer's UK and Dementia UK. 

The group of 18 walked from Shaftesbury House at Cowper Street to Uniserve Felixstowe, a planned route of roughly 9.2 miles. 

Only when the group finished did they realise it was closer to 10.2 but thankfully everyone completed the walk, even the older members of the group who were close to Michael. 

"It was very hot," Lorna said, "I had to put in an extra pit stop so that there wasn't so many stops in between getting water."