Bob starts a new life at 82 – with the Chelsea Pensioners! By MARCUS STEAD
The former chairman of Royal British Legion’s Barry branch has left the area to begin a new chapter of his life as a Chelsea Pensioner.
Former army staff sergeant Bob Wheatley, 82, took up residence at the Royal Hospital Chelsea on Monday, where around 300 veterans of the British Army live.
Bob is originally from Ockbrook in Derbyshire, and following his retirement, he and his wife June spent a decade living in Antequera, Spain.
Around 10 years ago, June required specialist care due to kidney problems, and the couple decided to settle in Barry, where their daughter Samantha already lived.
Sadly, June died in October last year, and Bob is still coming to terms with her passing: “June and I first met when we were 17, so we were together for 65 years, and for 61 of those years we were married.
“I miss her every single day and I’m still adjusting to a very different way of life. I was fortunate in that I was able to be with her at the end to say our goodbyes, and not everybody has that opportunity, especially during the Covid lockdowns,” he said.
Following June’s death, Bob became lonely and felt he needed a sense of purpose in life. Having known several people who had become Chelsea Pensioners, he decided to look into the possibility of joining: “I discovered that I fitted all the relevant criteria and went through the application process.
“As part of the process, you go and stay at the Royal Hospital Chelsea for four days to see whether you’re a good fit for them, and to decide whether the lifestyle suits you.
“There’s an interview process and that went well, so they invited me to join them,” he said.
The history of the Chelsea Pensioners dates back to 1692, when all army pensions were administered and paid for by the Royal Hospital Chelsea, which is why all army pensioners were historically known as Chelsea Pensioners.
Those who lived outside the Royal Hospital Chelsea were known as Out-Pensioners, but over time this term fell out of common usage, and today only those who live within the hospital are known as Chelsea Pensioners.
The Royal Hospital Chelsea ceased to administer army pensions in 1955, and today, the Chelsea Pensioners surrender their army pensions to contribute towards their upkeep as residents.
The hospital has continued to evolve with the times, and in 2009 it opened its doors to the first female Chelsea Pensioners.
As a Chelsea Pensioner, Bob will be seen wearing the distinctive scarlet coat and tricorne hat on formal occasions and when representing the organisation at public events.
On a day-to-day basis, when at the hospital or travelling within a two-mile radius, residents are encouraged to wear the less formal blue uniform, consisting of a shako cap and blues jacket, and Bob explains the reasons for this: “The scarlet uniform is very well-known by the public, but the blue uniform is also very distinctive, and people instantly recognise you as a Chelsea Pensioner if you’re out and about shopping or meeting people in a café for lunch.
“This is important because it encourages donations, which play a crucial part in maintaining the facility.
“Chelsea Pensioners are encouraged to wear their uniforms during the daytime, whether they’re staying within the hospital complex or travelling within a two-mile radius, but they are welcome to change into civilian clothing from 4:30pm onwards,” he said.
Bob is looking forward to a very active life as a Chelsea Pensioner, and prior to his arrival as a resident, plans had already been put in place for him to undertake important work: “The staff discussed my interests and experience, and they’ve assigned me a role in running a support group for carers.
“Having been a carer for my late wife, I can empathise with the challenges and difficulties they face. I am looking forward to getting started with the group,” he said.
Bob will also be volunteering at the local night shelter, and he said some of his friends were surprised when he told them there were a significant number of homeless people in an affluent part of London: “When people think of Chelsea, they often think of the King’s Road and some very expensive housing.
“But as with many affluent areas, you have extreme wealth and extreme poverty existing in close proximity. I am looking forward to doing what I can to help those who are less fortunate than myself,” he said.
Despite being well into his ninth decade, Bob has no intention of slowing down or taking it easy: “Since my retirement, I’ve noticed that people who have a reason to get up in the morning and a sense of purpose enjoy better health and seem far happier than those who are just existing.
“I’m 82 in body, but in my mind I’m about 29. I need to be involved, I need something to make my life worthwhile, and I need something that is worthwhile for others, so the projects I’ve been assigned are ideal for me.
“I’ve heard it said that being a Chelsea Pensioner adds five years to your life, and it’s easy for me to see why.
“There’s a real sense of community about the place, and they give those who are in good health important work to do. It’ll be good for me, good for others and it’s a great way to honour my wife’s memory,” he said.
Bob is a keen sportsman, having played football, rugby, cricket and tennis during his years in the army, and until his duties in caring for his wife took up most of his time, he played golf to a good standard, with a handicap of nine.
Chelsea Pensioners are a familiar sight at many sporting events, but Bob thinks he could have timed his admission as a resident slightly better: “We had an absolutely thrilling British Grand Prix the other day, which Carlos Sainz won in a very tight finish, and there were about 20 Chelsea Pensioners at Silverstone who were given the VIP treatment.
“I’d loved to have been there, but it was eight days before I became a resident. Never mind – I’m sure there’ll be plenty of other occasions,” he said.
The last few weeks have been a busy time for Bob. At the Royal Hospital Chelsea, Bob has his own fully-furnished room and needed to get rid of most of his furniture and possessions, apart from personal items.
Bob looks back on his decade in Barry with great affection, particularly his role as Royal British Legion branch chairman, and as a member of Barry Male Voice Choir, which he reluctantly had to give up due to a problem with his vocal cords.
In July 2016, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer, and he was advised that the ultimately successful treatment of radiotherapy and course of hormone injections would cause his weight to increase.
Bob’s daughter, Samantha, suggested he join her at a Barry Weight Watchers class, and he stunned doctors by reducing his weight from 17-and-a-half stone to 13 stone, and in doing so reversed his type two diabetes, which he had suffered from for 10 years.
The pandemic saw Bob have to deal with a number of difficulties, but he was glad that restrictions had eased sufficiently by last September, which enabled June to fulfil her dream of dancing with her husband at Blackpool Tower Ballroom, just five weeks before her death.
During the pandemic, Bob learnt how to use Zoom, and the weekly meetings with his family have continued ever since: “I’ve got my daughter in Barry, another daughter in Southampton, a son in Plymouth and family in Grantham and Cornwall.
“We made a point of getting together via Zoom every Friday, and that has continued ever since. I’ll definitely keep doing that now I’ve moved to Chelsea. We’re seeing more of each other now than we have done in many years,” he said.
While Bob is no longer a resident of Barry, he promises he will continue to be a frequent visitor to the town: “My daughter still lives in Barry and I’ve got many friends in the area, so I’ll still be here as a visitor – I might be a Chelsea Pensioner but they don’t lock us up!
“In the final years of June’s life, I was more-or-less her full-time carer but I must say that the 10 years we spent in Barry were a happy time for us. We liked the people and the community very much.
“I’ll be back in November to help with the Poppy Appeal, and I’ll be at the Wales Festival of Remembrance at St David’s Hall in Cardiff on 5th November.
“Barry is a very special place for me, and while I know I’m doing the right thing by beginning a new chapter of my life as a Chelsea Pensioner, I certainly hope to be returning to this wonderful part of Wales for a long time to come,” he said.
🌟 This article first appeared in the printed edition of the Glamorgan Star on 14.07.22. Read it in print first!
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