Kingston Vale care home resident celebrates centenarian birthday

Kingston Vale's very own Doris Day has celebrated her 100th birthday.

Doris Day, a resident at Care UK’s Sherwood Grange, on Robin Hood Lane, turned 100 on 10th November.

On the big day, the home team organised a surprise party surrounded by her friends and family at Sherwood Grange. In true celebratory fashion, the team decorated the home’s lounge with balloons, banners and there was a special birthday cake, baked by the home’s Head Chef, for everyone to enjoy.

Doris was born in Roehampton, Putney, on 10th November 1923. After leaving school, Doris became a cashier before later becoming a bookkeeper in a local Butchers in her twenties. It was during this time that she met her husband, Henry, who she would later marry on the 14th May 1949.

Doris met many of her lifelong best friends after becoming a member of the ‘Young Wives Club’, who she enjoyed going on holidays with and regular coffee mornings. At the age of 30, Doris began working as a Domestic Help and Tea Lady at the Priory Mental Health Hospital, where she dedicated 44 years of work and earnt the nickname the ‘psychiatrist’s psychiatrist’.

Reflecting on her years working as a Domestic Help and Tea Lady, Doris said: “While walking through one of the lounges at the Priory, I was stopped by a patient and asked how long have you been here? Oh, more than 20 years now I replied. Good Lord he cried, haven’t they got you better yet?”

Doris and Henry have two children, Valerie and Bill, four grandchildren, Darren, Tina, Karen, and Mat, seven great grandchildren, Abigail, Emilia, Dudley, Rory, Teri-Ann, Jacob, and Evie, and one great, great grandchild, Hallie Florence. The family often visit Doris at Sherwood Grange where they take part in the home’s intergenerational activities. 

Kristina Jacunskiene, Home Manager at Sherwood Grange, said: “Doris is a much-loved resident here at Sherwood Grange and her centenarian birthday was the perfect excuse to celebrate her life’s achievements and work.

“Everything we do at Sherwood Grange is focused on our ethos of ensuring residents live active and fulfilling lives, so we were delighted to mark this fantastic milestone with a spectacular party, making it a day to remember. 

“The team worked tirelessly to make sure her day was one to remember, and we would like to thank everyone who came along to wish Doris a happy birthday.”

Sherwood Grange has been designed to encourage residents to live active and fulfilling lives, while remaining as independent as possible in a safe environment. The state-of-the-art care home features a cinema, hair salon and art studio, and incorporates space for hobby and leisure activities. The layout of the building is configured into a series of individual suites, each having a dedicated lounge/dining room, to facilitate the creation of close-knit communities.