Digital wedding bells chime at Belong Wigan

Walter Morris, aged 88, who lives at Belong Wigan, in Platt Bridge, resigned himself to missing the wedding of his granddaughter, Jennie, when he heard that she was getting married in Germany this year. Walter's son, Bryan, and staff from Belong Wigan, however, were adamant that Walter would participate.
Using her iPad, Jennie was able to see and speak to her grandfather in Wigan on the big day, and was surprised to see him having a wedding party of his own. Using FaceTime from the wedding in Germany to initiate a video call, Jennie found her grandfather celebrating in style, sharing champagne, buttonholes and a wedding cake with residents and staff at Belong Wigan.
Jennie Skupch (née Morris) developed an interest in Germany when she visited the country during a student exchange programme. Now working for a business in Cologne, she still comes to visit her grandfather at Belong Wigan whenever she gets the opportunity, but never imagined that she would see him on her wedding day.
Walter was born in Greengate, Salford, in 1926, and worked as a bus driver as a young man. He married in 1953, and his first child Bryan, was born in 1954, after which Walter moved to Westhoughton and began work in the transport department of the Manchester Evening News. Walter worked for the MEN until he retired in 1988.
Bryan Morris said of the wedding day: "My father was so happy that he could join us for such a special occasion. It took some work to coordinate, but the staff at Belong Wigan were incredibly helpful. They were enjoying Buck's Fizz while we were struggling to get reception at a small village in Germany.
"A number of years ago my business, BCM, helped to develop energy efficiency strategies for Belong Wigan, before it was under construction. The Belong village impressed me so much that my father now calls it home, but I never expected them to be involved in family weddings!"