Anna's story

I’ve lived in my home since it was built in 1980, and it’s been a wonderful home for me all these years. Things have changed a lot since those early days, but I’ve loved every minute of living here. 

When I first moved in, I was the very first resident here. The people downstairs were elderly, and back then, we didn’t have anyone to clean the stairs for us. I took it upon myself to do it on my days off. Now we have a chap called Scott who comes every Tuesday to clean them. He’s thoughtful enough to take my rubbish down too, and I always leave him a note to say thank you.  

When I first moved in, I was training to be a nurse at Queen Mary’s Hospital, but after failing an exam, I decided to become a carer instead. I worked at the Masonic Home in Chislehurst right up until I was 70, and I truly loved that job. I’ll never forget one resident who only wanted me to help her with her bath. On my days off, she’d tell the others she’d already had it just so she could wait for me to come back. That meant the world to me. 

Although I can’t get to St. Edward’s Church anymore, they kindly visit me once or twice a month for prayers and communion, which is such a blessing. My family are mostly in Canada now. I have two sons, though I lost my youngest. I’m blessed with plenty of grandchildren and great-grandchildren - so many, I’ve lost count. 

I still enjoy caring for my plants. For the indoor ones, the trick is to use tepid water every other day because cold water can be a bit of a shock to their roots. For the outdoor ones, I usually let the rain do the work, but I water them if it’s been dry for too long. I’ve always loved animals too. I used to have two dogs, Ricky and Peppy, and my son even cut little holes in my balcony netting, so the birds could fly through for feeding. 

Reaching 100 feels marvellous. I even received a letter from the King!  

Even at 100, I do my own cooking and washing, and while I can’t manage the stairs anymore, I keep moving by walking laps around my flat ten times a day.