Lily White from Noak Hill celebrated her 107th birthday yesterday with a glass of Bailey’s.
At Clover Cottage care home in Wincanton Road, staff prepared a “nice little tea party” for the centenarian on Wednesday, February 27.
They put out sandwiches, jam and cream scones for the residents.
After staff sang Happy Birthday for her, Lily blew out the candles on a cake decorated with roses. They gave her presents that included flowers, chocolate and new slippers.
Jillian Nicoll, the senior carer at the home, gifted Lily a pair of earrings.
She said: “Her mind is very very good, she is very alert most of the time. She likes to have a joke with the staff.”
As the oldest person she’s ever met, her carer attributes Lily’s long life to “good wholesome food and lots of veg.”
Lily still able to eat and drink without assistance and retains a good appetite.
At the home, Lily is always talking about food which isn’t surprising since her father was a great cook and butcher who worked at Smithfield Meat Market. She is also a big fan of chocolate and likes to eat Ferrero Rocher, or any chocolate really.
In spite of her age, Lily is still very able.
Jillian said: “She brushes her own hair, puts a little bit of make up on. She likes to look nice.”
When asked if she enjoyed her party, Lily called it “nothing out of the ordinary.” Lily doesn’t like a fuss. Whenever a staff member brings up her great age Lily says, “don’t remind me.”
Lily is from Hackney and used to work, as she says, “on the machine” as a seamstress. She moved into the home in 2008.
She has outlived her husband, Cliff, but her one son, Peter, is still alive, although he himself is over 70 years old.
The Mayor of Havering, councillor Dilip Patel, visited the party to pay his respects.
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