Care Home Resident Celebrates 100th Birthday

A woman has celebrated her 100th birthday a party at a local care home.

Annie Cox, who has lived at The Hawthorns care home since January 2020, enjoyed a party with family and friends at the home. She had a visit from Mayor Alan Booth and Mayoress Chrissy Smith, alongside her best friend Jackie Wright.

Annie was born in Knock in Ireland and attended a convent school for girls. Following a poor and hard childhood she moved to England at the age of 21. She and her husband Lew settled in Redditch, where Annie worked as a psychiatric nurse until she retired. She then volunteered for 19 years in Redditch Hospital café.

When asked what her secret to longevity is, Annie said that she enjoys a tipple of whiskey each night.

Service manager, Mary Tasker, said: “Annie has such a huge heart and loves looking after people – while never having children herself, she loves nothing more than playing with children who are visiting other residents in the home. It has been an honor to be a part of Annie’s special day, she had a fabulous time and especially enjoyed receiving her card from King Charles.

“She is a big part of the home and we always love listening to her stories.”

The Hawthorns is operated by Shaw healthcare and provides residential care for up to 46 people including those living with dementia. Shaw healthcare, the largest employee-owned healthcare provider in the UK