Henbrook House, an all-inclusive luxury care home in St Neots, recently organised a special trip down memory lane for resident Joy Wilson (94 years old) and her son Neil. During an outing to Southlake Water Park in Little Paxton, the team arranged a visit to a local waterskiing club so Joy could reminisce about her own connection with the sport which began over 73 years ago.
Back in 1952, waterskiing had only just arrived in the UK from America – and was still seen as a niche (and rather dangerous!) hobby by many in Britain. Joy, who lived and worked with her parents at the time in a seafront hotel in Torquay, was nevertheless an enthusiastic early adopter of the sport, and quickly became one of the first women ever to waterski in the UK.
After speaking with Joy about her incredible story, the team at Henbrook House wanted to help her relive her glory days by arranging the outing. After receiving a heartfelt welcome from DAMS Watersports club as a returning veteran, Joy sat on the jetty with a warm cup of tea to watch a training session in action. Catherine Frost, General Manager of Henbrook House, comments:
“At Henbrook House, we believe every resident’s passions and legacies should be celebrated; and so when we discovered we had a genuine pioneer in our midst we knew we had to do something special! It was wonderful to help Joy relive her cherished memories out on the water, and to continue being a part of a sport which she contributed so much to in her early life”.
Waterskiing was not always seen as an acceptable pastime in the UK. Joy remembers that gaining formal acceptance of the sport in Torquay was an uphill battle, and it took a lot of convincing for the authorities to allow it to be practiced at all: “It wasn’t easy, all the yachts and fisherman tried to ban the sport as it was considered too dangerous”.
However, through persistence, determination, and a deep love of the sport, pioneers like Joy eventually succeeded in gaining official recognition of waterskiing in 1958. Today, it is now one of the most popular water sports across the UK, and remains an important part of life in Torquay in particular. In 2025, the town hosted the second and third rounds of the UK Waterski Racing Championships; a crucial selection race for the 2025 World Championships.
This national embrace of waterskiing may never have happened if it wasn’t for trailblazers like Joy who refused to let a few errant waves knock them off-course! Catherine Frost again:
“Joy’s story is nothing short of inspirational. She broke barriers and helped pave the way for generations of women to follow in her footsteps. It was a privilege to help her reconnect with such a formative part of her life, and to help a remarkable woman continue to tell her story. We also owe a huge thanks to everyone at DAMS Watersports who helped make this visit a reality!”
Henbrook House regularly organises unique outings and experiences like this for its residents. The home opened in April 2024 as part of the Connaught Care Collection, a new luxury care group aiming to revolutionise the adult care sector.
To learn more, please contact CRM@henbrookhouse.co.uk or call 01480 275020.