Bracknell

Celebration was in the air at Heathlands day centre, Bracknell this week when the very first 100th birthday party was held.

Alice, who turned 100 on Tuesday, February 6, was joined by more than 10 friends at the Wildridings-based day centre on Monday afternoon for a spot of high-tea complete with champagne and ginger wine.

The great, great grandmother puts her long and healthy life down to the occasional drop of ginger wine and so she toasted her milestone centenary birthday with a glass of her favourite tipple at the day centre where friends and staff also tucked into a delicious buffet and birthday cake.

Alice, who has been using the Bracknell Council-run day centre for the past 12 months, is the very first client to have a 100th birthday party at Heathlands day centre although several residents of the adjoining residential home are in their 100s.

Alice was born in 1907 in Castletown on the Isle of Man and was the second eldest of eight siblings. She left school at 14 and started working for Lady Tollemach in Slone Square, London, until she was 19 when she moved to Bracknell to work for the diamond Oppenheimer family.

She married George in 1936 in London and they couple had two daughters Elsie and Margaret.

During the Second World War she moved back to the Isle of Man while George served in the army overseas. The family moved back to London after the war ended but sadly George died in 1959.

Alice moved back to Bracknell in 1977 to be near her daughter and family which includes seven grandchildren, 11 great grandchildren and four great, great grandchildren.

To celebrate her 100th birthday Alice also had a party with her family and friends on Tuesday.

Alice said: "I celebrated my birthday with a party with more than 60 guests - with all the children around me.

"I certainly do not feel 100 and people are always telling me that they can't believe I'm that age but I think they work it out.

When asked what she puts her long-life down to Alice said: "A caring family, contentment and a small drop of ginger wine now and again."

Linda Parsons, Manager of Heathlands, Bracknell said: "Alice is our very first day-centre client to turn 100 so we made a real fuss of her on Monday with some champagne and high-tea. All her friends here joined in the party and everyone had a good time helping Alice celebrate such a milestone birthday."

Cllr Dale Birch, Executive Member for Bracknell Adult Services, Health Commissioning and Housing, added: "I'm pleased that Alice had a lovely 100th birthday. It was wonderful that Heathlands staff provided her and her friends with a special tea and some champagne to celebrate the happy event."

Bracknell Forest Borough Council