“Sherry and porridge!” - 104-year-old Frome care home resident shares the secret to a long life

A 104-year-old Frome care home resident has revealed the secret to living a long and happy life.

Eileen Wilkie, who lives at Care UK’s Rossetti House on Welshmill Lane, celebrated her 104^th birthday surrounded by family, residents, and team members.

Eileen was born on 13th February 1921 in Chirk, North Wales, and was a comptometer operator in the 1930s before joining the land army at Chirk Castle in WWII. 

In 1937, Eileen met her husband, John Wilkie, in Bristol. They later wed in 1942 and went on to have three daughters who later brought eight grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren into the family. 

In her spare time, Eileen enjoyed playing golf and had a passion for stamp collecting and gardening. She also loved poetry, a hobby she continues to enjoy today, and is an active member of the poetry group at Rossetti House.

When asked to share her secret to a long and happy life, Eileen put it down to “A glass of sherry and porridge!”

To help make Eileen’s birthday one to remember, the team at Rossetti House threw her a special surprise party, complete with balloons and a birthday cake specially made by the home’s talented Head Chef.

Phil Vale, General Manager at Rossetti House, said: “Celebrating residents’ special milestones is incredibly important to us here at Rossetti House – and Eileen’s 104^th birthday certainly called for a big celebration. It seems as though we all need to enjoy a little more porridge and sherry if Eileen’s advice is anything to go by!

“It was wonderful to see Eileen surrounded by her loved ones to mark such an incredible milestone. The team worked hard to make sure her special day was one to remember, and we would like to thank everyone who came along to raise a glass to Eileen!”

Rossetti House provides full time residential, dementia and nursing care in a luxury setting, as well as short-term respite care. Designed to enable residents to live active and fulfilled lives, while also promoting independence, the home incorporates plenty of space for leisure activities and hobbies and has its own cinema, hair and beauty salon and café. The building has been designed to help facilitate the creation of close-knit communities and encourage social interaction among the residents.