A CARE home resident in Malvern has been re-united with her beloved cat, having an "amazing" effect on her wellbeing.

Val Shearer has lived at Bradbury Court care home for the last three years and is non-communicative due to her dementia.

Despite this, her husband Bill, former chair of West Malvern Parish Council, used to come and visit her every day before he sadly died in June this year.

Over the years, Mr Shearer became a popular figure in the care home, carrying out tasks and errands to help out.

Following Mr Shearer's death, his son Stephen spoke to care home manager Elaine Banks, saying he was worried what he would do with their cat, Issy.

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Knowing how much the cat meant to Mr and Mrs Shearer, Mrs Banks thought it would be a good idea to let Issy come and live at the home.

On the day Issy arrived at Bradbury Court, she made a beeline to where Mrs Shearer was sitting, jumped straight on her lap and fell asleep.

Since then the two have been inseparable, and according to staff from the care home, Mrs Shearer even made an attempt to speak for the first time in a long while.

Issy is now happy, relaxed and interacting in a very positive way with the care home team, other residents and, of course, her beloved Val.

Elaine Banks said: “Bill was a much-loved personality both at the care home and in the Malvern community and it seemed the natural decision for the team and I to step in at this difficult time and give Issy a loving, safe and friendly new home and reunite her with Val.

“Bill was not only a relative, he was a volunteer and a great advocate for Bradbury Court and 100 percent dedicated to his wife Val.

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"He was involved with our Namaste Care Research Project which helps bring ease to people with acute levels of dementia and made a huge impact at the Worcester University for Dementia Studies’ Namaste Celebration Day.

“Everyone at the Malvern site will miss his presence, quirky personality and his beaming smile.”

Bill Shearer was a well known and popular member of the West Malvern community and also the chairman of the parish council.

He was also involved in many local events and is greatly missed by all that knew him. He is survived by his wife Val, children Melanie and Stephen from his first marriage to the late Audrey, and his grandson William James Jr.