Scotland

A Journey of Return & Discovery

In 1956 Muriel Richards left Barbados for a new life in Stirling, Scotland. Later relocating to Sheffield, a choice she would regret. Now living with dementia, she returns to Stirling, a place she once called home.

This is Muriel’s story.

In 1956, during a time of labour shortages in the UK, two young women from Barbados embarked on a journey that would change their lives. Lottie Bynoe and Muriel Best were recruited to work in Stirling, Scotland, at the Kings Hotel and Allan Park Hotel, respectively. Now, almost 70 years later, Muriel Best returned to Stirling, supported by the Sheffield Memory Hub and the Dementia Trust, to fulfil a lifelong dream.

Behind the scenes

The making of the documentary

A young man with red hair and a blue shirt is using a smartphone while being filmed by an older woman with glasses and a scarf. The woman is holding a large professional video camera, and they appear to be outdoors near a white building, with green foliage visible in the background.

The Allan Park Hotel, Stirling

The entrance to a building named 'The Allan Park,' with stairs leading up to a door, decorated with potted plants and outdoor lighting.
A young man and an elderly woman are standing outside a building with the number 20 next to the door. The young man is showing something on his phone to the elderly woman. A man on the left is filming them with a camera. There are small plants with yellow flowers on the right side of the image.
An elderly woman with curly gray hair, glasses, and earrings, smiling and wearing a plaid scarf, sitting at a table with a man next to her in a room with large windows.
An elderly woman with glasses and gray hair, sitting indoors on a wooden floor, looking down. Behind her is a wooden cabinet and a bookshelf, with a couch nearby that has purple and beige cushions. A camera on a tripod is in front of her, capturing her image.
Three people, two men and a woman, are standing outside near a building with white walls and multiple windows, engaging in a conversation, while a man with a camera is filming nearby.
A middle-aged man with dark hair and glasses looking to the left, wearing a striped dark jacket and a blue shirt, stands outdoors in a park. An elderly woman with curly gray hair, glasses, and wearing a light gray jacket is smiling and leaning forward slightly, standing on the right side of the image. Green trees and grass are visible in the background.
A film crew filming a scene outdoors with three people: a cameraman holding a camera, an elderly woman in a gray jacket, and a man in a black jacket and glasses, standing on a street with trees and cars in the background.

Beechwood House, Stirling

A stone church with Gothic-style windows, surrounded by greenery and a sidewalk.
A man filming with a camera, two people using a ramp to enter a building, and an elderly woman opening a door.

Park Church, Stirling

Townbreak Group, Stirling

Community gathering in a multi-purpose room with elderly people seated at tables and a few volunteers helping, with a stage, a projector screen, and colorful decorations on the walls.
Two elderly women sitting at a table, engaged in conversation, with plates of food and cups visible on the table.
A man wearing glasses and a pink polo shirt smiling and clapping in front of a presentation screen with a group of people in the foreground.
Two elderly women with white, curly hair sitting at a table, facing away from the camera, with a woman in a black vest and blue sleeves sitting in the background.
Camera recording a conference room with people seated at tables facing a stage and screen.
Two men sitting and talking at a professional event, one wearing a white dress shirt and name badge, the other wearing glasses and a pink shirt.
An elderly woman with gray hair, glasses, and a caring expression, touching her chin and pointing at her wristwatch.
An elderly woman with gray hair and glasses, wearing a plaid scarf and light gray jacket, standing and adjusting her scarf while a woman with a black headwrap and black jacket looks on. An older woman seated with white hair is partially visible in th
Group of elderly people singing and clapping during a gathering in a community hall.
Group of four elderly women holding hands, smiling and laughing in a circle indoors.
Man giving a presentation in a classroom with people seated, a projection screen showing red and dark patterned imagery, and items like bags and a laptop on a table.
Group of elderly people sitting at a table, smiling and enjoying a gathering indoors.
Group of elderly people standing and singing from song sheets in a classroom or community center setting.