Christchurch Care Home Resident One of the Last to Receive 100th Birthday Card from the Queen

A Christchurch care home resident who lives on Royal Close is one of the last people in the UK to receive a 100th birthday card from the Queen.

Mercia Crighton celebrated her landmark birthday at Fairmile Grange, based on the aptly-named ‘Royal Close’, on Sunday 11 September. Mercia was thrilled to open her card from the Queen, which had been delivered to the care home just days before Queen Elizabeth II sadly passed away on Thursday 8 September.

To her delight, Mercia was treated like Fairmile Grange’s own queen for the day, complete with a tiara, and was joined by a host of special guests for her 100th birthday party.

The guestlist included her son, Neil, and his wife, Julia, who had travelled from Sweden to be there and took Mercia out for a special lunch before they returned for more celebrations. Two Dorset Police officers fulfilled Mercia’s birthday wish by presenting her with her card from the Queen, in honour of her late husband, who was a police officer.

Kim Butters, Wellbeing Manager at Fairmile Grange, said:
“It was certainly a day to remember as we came together to celebrate Mercia’s special 100th birthday. It’s incredibly sad to think that Mercia is one of the last people to receive a card from the Queen before her death, which a lot of our residents are upset about, but it is a very special keepsake for Mercia to treasure forever. We are so pleased that we could spoil Mercia on her birthday and ensure that she could celebrate with her loved ones, as it’s not every day that one of our residents turns 100.”