‘As little veggies as possible’ – World War Two veteran reveals secret to long life on 101st birthday

A resident at a care home in Sutton Coldfield celebrated his 101^st birthday by sharing the secret to a long and happy life.

A very special birthday celebration took place at Bishops Manor care home, on Jockey Road, when resident Denzil Cooper celebrated his 101^st birthday in style and revealed his secret to longevity was ‘enjoy an unhealthy diet with as little veggies as possible!’

 

To celebrate, the home decorated the bistro with balloons and banners, and the home’s talented chef baked a special birthday cake for everyone to enjoy.

Denzil was born on 8^th April 1922 in Essex and his family moved to Birmingham when he was aged three. Denzil, or Staff Sergeant Cooper as he is also known, is a World War Two veteran, piloting a Horsa Glider on D-Day during Operation Mallard. He is the last remaining comrade, out of 300, from his regiment. 

After the war, Denzil married his wife Joan and they spent 68 years together. They had together, three daughters, nine grandchildren, 14 great grandchildren with a 15^th on the way. 

 

At Bishops Manor, the war veteran enjoys sharing memories of his time in the services, as well as taking part in activities such as singing and dancing. 

Denzil explained: “My secret to a living a long life is down to the fact I never smoked, drank very little alcohol but I have enjoyed an unhealthy diet with as little veggies as possible – a healthy diet is overrated. 

“I also think remaining balanced and calm in the face of adversity has certainly been a contributory factor to my long and happy life.”

Sarah Diamond, General Manager at Bishops Manor said: “Denzil is vibrant and much-loved resident here at Bishops Manor, and it was fantastic to help him celebrate this incredible milestone. 

 

“Here at Bishops Manor, everything we do is focused on our ethos of ensuring residents live active and fulfilling lives, so we always like to celebrate important milestones – and Denzil’s 101^st birthday was no exception. It was lovely to raise a glass together on his special day.”

Designed to enable residents to live active and fulfilled lives, while also promoting independence, Bishops Manor, which remains open to potential residents, incorporates space for hobby and leisure activities. The building has been designed to help facilitate the creation of close-knit communities and encourage social interaction among the residents.