Centre hosts 105th party

The oldest person to attend the Three Spires Day Centre, Southwell, celebrated her 105th birthday on Monday.

Mrs Maud Harrison, known as Vicki, received a card from the Queen and had a party with friends and family at the centre.

Mrs Harrison, of Moorfield Court, Southwell, was born in Dalkeith, Scotland, in 1905.

She moved to Lime Regis when she was ten and attended St Clements School for Girls.

Mrs Harrison moved to Sheffield with her family when she was 16 and worked in a shoe shop where she met her husband, the late Mr Tom Harrison.

After they married, in April 1935, they moved to Worcester, where Mrs Harrison worked on a fruit farm while Mr Harrison was in the RAF.

The couple moved to Halam where they worked as gardeners until they retired.

Mrs Harrison, whose gifts included a watch and flowers, said she remembered a special present she received as a youngster.

“I really wanted a dolls’ pram but there wasn’t such a thing going at the time so I got a wheelbarrow instead. I used to push my teddy Henry in the wheelbarrow,” she said.

Mrs Harrison, who enjoys watching television programmes, including The Weakest Link, and playing bingo, said the secret to a long life was eating honey.

She starts each day with honey on toast for breakfast.

Mrs Harrison said her favourite invention during her lifetime had been the microwave oven, which made cooking quicker.