Together with the residents and care team at Orford House, our Coulsdon-based residential care home, Lily Gamblin has been celebrating her landmark 100th birthday, reminiscing about her dancing career and enjoying a delicious afternoon tea party in the care home’s pretty gardens with her family and care home friends. Lily, who made Orford House her home three years ago, decided that the care home was the ideal place for her as she and her family loved the home, its surroundings and were impressed at how welcoming and comfortable it was. “I especially like how nice and bright my room is,” said Lily. “I’ve really settled in here, it’s a wonderful place and every member of the care team is so kind and helpful.”
Lily, who was born in Wolverhampton, and was one of nine siblings, attended grammar school where her favourite class was English. After leaving school, Lily followed her passion for dancing and became a Ballroom Dancing Teacher. “I loved my job,” continued Lily. “It was so interesting and wonderful – and I got to organise dance competitions all around the country.”
Lily married her Husband, Richard – who was always known as Dick – in 1944 in Wolverhampton, but the happy couple soon moved down south and set up home in Morden, in South London. “Dick and I married during the war, he was in the Air Force, so we tied the knot whilst he was on leave,” recalls Lily.
“Dick and I were happily married for 72 years, and I have such wonderful memories of our life together and when we set up home in Morden,” added Lily. “I was very fortunate that I was able to continue doing the job I loved, as I managed a Dance School there, it was great.”
The happy couple became parents to two daughters – Irene and Ann – and Lily is now the proud Grandmother to three Grandchildren and three Great Grandchildren. “Lily is a wonderful lady, and we are so grateful that she decided to make Orford House her home,” said Michelle Kennett, the Registered Manager at the care home. “You will definitely always find Lily joining in with all of our wide and varied activities, but without a doubt, her favourite pastimes are anything to do with music and dancing. She’s an absolute delight to be around – always smiling and always has a nice word to say about everyone.”
“Lily is also very creative and enjoys our flower arranging classes and gardening,” continued Mary Bradley, the Activities Coordinator at Orford House. “Lily is also very well-travelled and often talks about her holidays and visits to Spain, France, Italy and Greece. However, Lily says that her favourite holiday was three weeks’ camping at Lake Bala in Wales; and whilst she doesn’t support a football team, she did support Dick and his windsurfing, which he really enjoyed.”
“We were chatting recently in one of our regular Reminiscing Sessions when the conversation turned to things that we didn’t know about each other. Lily really surprised us as she told the group that she had been interviewed by the BBC about how retired people could keep young at heart – and, of course, Lily said by dancing,” added Michelle.
“To celebrate Lily’s amazing, landmark 100th Birthday, we wanted to give her an extra special day to show her just how much she means to all of us at Orford House,” added Mary. “We arranged for an afternoon Birthday tea, complete with a scrumptious birthday cake that the Birthday Girl enjoyed with all of her care home friends.”
“I have had a wonderful 100th Birthday and have been spoilt rotten. Like I said before, it’s lovely to live here at Orford House, I’ve made so many friends, and all the care team are lovely too. There’s always something to do, or something going on – I’m never bored or short of anything to occupy me. There’s absolutely nothing I’d change about it,” concluded Lily.
Find out more about Orford House care home by calling 020 8660 2875 or emailing [email protected].