An extra special birthday was music to the ears of residents and visitors to Lily House Care Home in Ely.
Lily Hale, who lives at Lily House, was serenaded by youngsters from a local primary school to mark her 101st birthday.
Family members, some of whom had travelled from abroad, also came to the home, which specialises in a wide spectrum of care and support for the elderly, to help her celebrate the momentous occasion, which included a special afternoon tea.
The Isle of Ely Primary school pupils’ choir not only sang Happy Birthday but also presented Lily, who hails from Islington, with an array of handmade cards they had crafted themselves.
Lily, who has lived at the care home for six years, was married for 60 years to her husband Len, who sadly died on the evening of her 83rd birthday.
The couple had met as teenagers while Lily was out picking flowers with a friend and it was a case of love at first sight with them tying the knot a few years later in 1942.
Lily and Len, who had one daughter, Sandra, both did their bit during the second world war. This involved Lily becoming the supervisor of a group of ‘Canary Girls’, who took the place of men away at war, to manufacture metal war components.
When the war ended, Len returned home from serving in the forces and became a worker in the diamond grinding trade. With rationing continuing after the war, Lily joined the Ministry of Food with her job entailing the issuing of food coupons and ID cards.
On retirement, the couple upped sticks to Wicken to be closer to family, which comprised Sandra, two grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
They immersed themselves in the local community and became involved in a whole host of local events and activities including joining over 60s’ groups and paying tribute to those who had served their country, by laying wreaths during Remembrance Day services.
Lily’s birthday celebrations marked the home and the school re-establishing their strong relationship, which had to be paused during the Covid restrictions.
This not only involves the children and residents coming together for special events, but pupils reading to those living in the Lynn Road home, staging playgroup activities and hearing about days gone by from residents.
The school embraced Lily’s longevity as an opportunity to give pupils a history lesson in key events that occurred during her lifetime.
Lily’s daughter, Sandra Cutter, said: “Thank you to the wonderful staff at Lily House and the children of Ely for helping to make my mum’s 101st birthday so special. It’s brilliant that everyone has made such a fuss of her and made sure she has had a wonderful day.”
Kerry Clifton, manager of Lily House, where support includes specialist provision for people living with dementia, said: “The amazing colleagues at Lily House love making sure all of our residents have great birthdays, but it’s not every day that someone turns 101 so we knew we had to make it extra special.
“Some of Lily’s family have made the trip from overseas to celebrate with her and I’m pleased that, along with the Isle of Ely Primary School, we have been able to mark the day with much fanfare.”
Bryony Surtees, Isle of Ely Primary’s headteacher, said: “The children love visiting Lily House and spending time with residents. It’s a great learning opportunity for them and the residents always are happy to see them.
“We used Lily’s birthday as an opportunity to teach them all about some of the world events that she lived through over the last 101 years. Each has designed their own card for Lily and they were so excited to come along to present them to her and sing Happy Birthday.”
