AN ELDERLY Pershore woman who has celebrated her 101st birthday said the secret to a long life is having fun and an ‘occasional tipple’.
Kath Bell, who has lived at Sanctuary Care’s Heathlands Residential Care Home on the town’s Station Road for more than eight years, reached the grand age on Friday (March 11), surrounded by her family and loved ones.
Born in Wolverhampton, where she lived most of her life before moving to Heathlands, Kath was the eldest of three children and enjoyed making clothes, decorating hats and spending hours knitting, sewing and cooking for her family.
She met her late husband Sid in Wolverhampton and the couple had two children Joan and Diane, before celebrating their Golden Wedding in 1991.
Throughout her long life, Kath has turned her hand to many jobs in order to raise her young family, including working in small factories and in catering.
She worked extremely hard to make ends meet during the war, with Sid, who worked in an iron foundry, busy making parts for aircraft and vehicles needed for the war effort.
The birthday girl said: “I’ve had a fun life and I still enjoy an occasional glass of Baileys.
“When I was 19-years-old, there was a group of five of us ladies and we used to go dancing every Saturday night. We travelled to Birmingham, Dudley and the Blackpool Winter Gardens and I used to make my own dresses, tops and skirts for the dances.”
Kath’s daughter Joan, who lives in Pershore said: “She had a lovely day and was in very good spirits. She’s already said she’s really looking forward to her next birthday.
“Her sense of humour is still keen and she’s very appreciative of the care she gets at Heathlands. The staff are diamonds and are like family the way they care for her.
“She was always there for us. She made our clothes and supported us in every way she could. We always had a lot of fun and we’re still very close.”
Netty Matthews, manager at Heathlands said: “Kath has such an infectious personality. She always has a cheeky smile and a twinkle in her eye. She’s such an inspiration to us here and we we’re so proud to celebrate her birthday with her and her family.”
