It’s party time! 103-year-old Edinburgh care home resident surprised with special birthday celebrations

A 103-year-old Edinburgh care home resident was thrown a spectacular birthday party to mark reaching a very special milestone.

Lena ‘Alice’ Lamont, from Care UK’s Murrayside, on South Beechwood, marked her 103^rd birthday in style on 22^nd August when the team organised a party fit for a queen.

The talented chefs at Murrayside prepared Alice an impressive 103 mini muffins for everyone to enjoy – one to mark each year of Alice’s life. 

The team also organised live entertainment from local ‘Queen of Queer Cabaret’, Miss Annabel Sings, to serenade Alice with her favourite tunes, which had everyone singing and dancing along.

After reaching out to the local community, Alice received over 120 cards on her big day, and the team created a wonderful card display. The display featured birthday cards and kind messages from all over the world – from local surgeries and relatives to well wishes from people in Canada and Singapore. 

Commenting on all the cards, Alice said: “Are those all for me? That’s lovely that everyone sent them in for me – I’ve had such a wonderful day!”

Reflecting on her many happy years, Alice also revealed the secrets to a long life include “plenty of cups of tea and having a laugh”.

Suzanne Welsh, Home Manager at Murrayside, added: “Everyone had a wonderful time celebrating Alice’s 103^rd birthday, and she was particularly pleased to see her many cards and messages.

“Here at Murrayside, we work hard to support residents to lead fulfilling lives, and celebrating special occasions and birthdays plays a huge part in this. We love any excuse for a sweet treat and singalong, and to celebrate the amazing people living here at Murrayside – and Alice’s birthday was no exception!

“Alice is a much-loved resident at the home, she’s always looking out for others and making everyone laugh. We were honoured to raise a glass to her incredible life so far and we are so proud to have her as part of our Murrayside family.” 

Alice, who has lived in Edinburgh since she was born, is an avid fan of its beautiful scenery and historic architecture. Among her favourite spots to visit is the North Queensferry Hilton Hotel, which offers stunning views across the Firth of Forth, the Crieff Hydro hotel, and The Kelpies.

In her younger years, Alice spent a lot of her time in Corstorphine, working at her brother-in-law’s fish and chip shop, where she enjoyed serving and talking to the customers. 

Alice lived in her own home until the age of 98, before moving into Murrayside, where she continues to enjoy days out and spending time with her family. Alice has one niece, one great niece, one great nephew and an incredible ten great-great nieces and nephews – who regard her as having ‘legendary status’ for keeping up to date on the latest celebrity news in Hello! Magazine.  

Murrayside care home has been specially designed to enable residents to live active and fulfilled lives, while also promoting independence. The care home incorporates space for hobby and leisure activities, and has its own cinema, hair salon and café.