‘Keep smiling’ – Windsor resident reveals the secret to a long life on 102nd birthday

Home news

Dec 30, 2020

A resident at a care home in Windsor has shared her secret for living a long and happy life on her 102^nd birthday.

A very special birthday celebration took place at Care UK’s Mountbatten Grange, on Helston Lane, when resident Winnifred Swallow, who likes to be known as Win, turned 102 years ‘young’ on 17^th December.

To mark the occasion, Win revealed her secret was to ‘keep smiling’ and ‘love everyone’.

On her birthday this year, Win received many cards and gifts from loved ones. The home’s head chef also prepared a special birthday cake, which was enjoyed along with a glass of bubbly to mark the occasion.

Debbie Winwood, Home Manager at Mountbatten Grange, said: “Win is a well-loved resident at Mountbatten Grange, and it was fantastic to help her celebrate this incredible milestone with her friends here at the care home.

“Here at Mountbatten Grange, everything we do is focused around our ethos of ensuring residents live active and fulfilling lives. We always like to celebrate important milestones – and Win’s 102^nd birthday was no exception. It was lovely to raise a glass to Win on her special day.”

Win was born on 17^th December 1918 in Barnsley, Yorkshire, and followed in her mother’s footsteps, qualifying as a teacher at the outbreak of World War II. She was posted to a school in the East End of London, and on her first day arrived to find they were being evacuated to West Sussex.

Win had known her future husband, John Swallow, from childhood, as they both attended Mexborough Grammar School. When travelling home to Yorkshire for Christmas, and stopping over in Oxford, John, an undergraduate at Oriel College, met her at the station and they fell in love. They married in June 1942, and had two children together, Christina and Nicholas.

Win continued teaching as an infant school headmistress in Teddington, Middlesex, until retirement. Many Teddington residents learned to read and write under her patient teaching. She has a strong artistic streak, enjoying painting and latterly pottery, and kept her local library busy supplying her with books as she was a voracious reader.

Win enjoyed being active in her younger years, taking part in activities such as riding her bike, and also made all of her own clothes. Moving into Mountbatten Grange in June 2019, Win enjoys spending time looking at photographs and sharing her experiences and memories with her friends at the home.

Mountbatten Grange has been designed to deliver the very best standards of care and to enable residents to live active and fulfilled lives. The home provides full-time residential, nursing and dementia care, as well as short-term respite and palliative care. 

To find out more about Mountbatten Grange, call 0333 220 4064 or email customer relations manager, Leahanne Wilkinson, at leahanne.wilkinson@careuk.com

For more general information, please visit careuk.com/mountbatten-grange