“Just keep breathing” – Banbury resident reveals the secret to living a long life on her 101st birthday

A Banbury care home resident has celebrated her 101^st birthday and revealed her secret to living a long and joyful life is to simply not give up. 

Edith Adelaide Carter, from Care UK’s Highmarket House, on North Bar Place, marked the impressive milestone on 8^th April, and was joined by residents and team members to toast the special occasion.

Revealing her secret to a long and happy life, Edith, who is well known at the home for her sense of humour, said: “Just keep breathing.”

Enjoying the special day with a slice of birthday cake and a host of special gifts, the team went above and beyond to ensure Edith enjoyed a celebration fit for a queen, complete with a delicious heart-shaped birthday cake. 

Francesca Cowley, Home Manager at Highmarket House, said: “Everyone had a wonderful time celebrating Edith’s birthday, and she was particularly pleased to receive her beautifully decorated birthday cake.

“Edith has been living at Highmarket House for nearly four years now, and it’s fair to say the home wouldn’t be the same without her. Her wonderful sense of humour never fails to make us laugh and definitely keeps us on our toes!

“Here at Highmarket House, we always strive to make an occasion of birthdays, and Edith’s 101^st was no exception. We had great fun decorating her bedroom and baking her a special birthday cake.” 

Edith was born in North London in 1921 and has lived in several different places in the capital before moving to Banbury in 1980. A trained Balloon Operator, she joined the WRAF during the war and operated balloons in the mechanical transport department. After the war, Edith used her sewing skills to craft skirts for Waldmans, which were stocked in Selfridges. Edith married her late husband (John George, who was known as Jack), on 6^th April 1940. Together they had two daughters, Brenda and Pauline, as well as a granddaughter Rebecca, and great-grandson, Orson. 

Highmarket House is a state-of-the-art care home which provides full-time residential, dementia, nursing and short-term respite care. The home, which features 73 en-suite bedrooms, has been designed to enable its residents to live active and fulfilled lives, while also promoting independence. The care home incorporates space for hobby and leisure activities and includes its own cinema, hairdressing salon and café.

For more information on Highmarket House, please contact Customer Relations Manager Daniel Worley on daniel.worley@careuk.com or call 01295 297 652. 

For more general information, visit careuk.com/highmarket-house.