199 years of wisdom – Cardiff care home couples reveal their secrets to a happy marriage for Valentine’s Day

“Know how to make an exceptionally good gin and tonic” included in advice from couples at a care home in Cardiff when they enjoyed a very special Valentine’s Day celebration.

Love was in the air when the team at Care UK’s Llys Cyncoed, on Cyncoed Road, arranged a special celebration for the couples living at the home. Everyone was encouraged to reminisce about their early days together and reveal their secrets to a long and happy marriage. 

The heart-warming event, dedicated to love, laughter, and lasting relationships, had all the couples filled with excitement as they were dressed to the nines to enjoy champagne, cocktails, and canapés.  

Adding to the ambience of the event, the dining room was filled with heart-shaped balloons and there were rose petals scattered on the tables.

Olwen and Arthur Hayward – the 15^th married couple in the UK over 100 years old – who have been married for over 75 years, enjoyed the special party and shared happy memories from their impressively long marriage together. They met in 1943 and their first date was spent walking across the cliff top at Pennard, Gower. The couple married six years later in the summer of 1949. After a church ceremony with 40 guests, they had the reception at the Mascot restaurant in Swansea.

They have two children, Keith and Kathryn. They also have four grandchildren, Lisa, Robert, Sophie and Simon, as well as five great-grandchildren.

Reflecting on her many years, Olwen revealed “a happy marriage and a loving family” is what makes her the happiest. 

Also joining the special celebration, Josephine and Aubrey Langley, aged 90 and 91, shared how they first met in 1958 at the Mostyn Dance Hall. When Aubrey asked Jo to dance the foxtrot together – it was an offer she couldn’t refuse. They had their first date in the back row of a cinema in Pontypool.

The couple married on 27^th February 1960 at St Peter’s Church in Blaenavon with a ceremony including 50 of their closest friends and family. They have two sons, Andrew and Martin, and a grandson called Tom.

Aubrey said the secret to a long and happy marriage is “a good sense of humour”.

Josephine added: “A husband that knows how to barbecue and make an exceptionally good gin and tonic”.

Also attending the dinner was married duo, John and Patricia Chesney, aged 84 and 83. The couple met in 1959 on a Saturday night on Queen Street, Cardiff. They married just four years later, on 2^nd February 1963 at St Peter's Church and had the reception at the Mayfair restaurant. Together they have one daughter, Julia.

When asked to give advice to young couples, Patricia jokingly said to “run, run, run!” But if that isn’t an option, “let your husband think he is the boss, as long as he obeys the wife”.

Virgil Frincu, General Manager at Llys Cyncoed said: “Olwen and Arthur, Jo and Aubrey, and John and Patricia, are three love stories for the ages. It was great to be able to organise a special ‘date night’ for each of them. I’d also like to say a special thank you to our wonderful chef for creating such a fantastic menu for the evening.  

“Here at Llys Cyncoed, love is certainly in the air, and it’s been wonderful to encourage so many of the residents to reminisce and share fond memories from their own marriages and relationships. Many wise words were shared that have certainly given us food for thought.

“We’d like to say thank you to all the happy couples for sharing their stories, they are truly inseparable.” 

Designed to enable residents to live active and fulfilled lives, while also promoting independence, Llys Cyncoed incorporates space for hobby and leisure activities. The homes have been configured into a series of neighbourhoods to help facilitate the creation of close-knit communities and encourage social interaction among the residents.