A shared love of chess has grown into a weekly friendship at Roseleigh Care Home in Middlesbrough.
Ian Martin visits Stephen MacCormack at the home each week, with the pair usually settling down to five or six friendly games.
According to the account supplied by Constantia Healthcare, Ian discovered Stephen’s interest in chess at the end of a stay at Roseleigh. Their games have continued since Ian returned home.
For Ian, the visits provide a chance to get out and enjoy an activity with a friend. “It’s nice to get out of the house,” he said in the supplied release.
Stephen said the matches keep them both busy for a few hours. The home says he was crowned Middlesbrough Chess Champion in 1996, although Ian still wins a game or two.
The pair’s routine offers time for conversation and friendly competition. The home supplied two photographs of their chess sessions.
Roseleigh is on Lytton Street in Middlesbrough.