‘My mother lived to 100 so I may have a few years left’
Do you take any supplements?
I do not take supplements except a fish oil capsule, which I take most evenings.
How do you take time out?
Apart from hill-walking and running, time out involves visiting family, attending concerts and following Ulster Rugby. My role as chair of Age Sector Platform occupies a considerable amount of my time, but it is something that I derive a great deal of personal satisfaction from. Membership of the Belfast U3A also provides lots of opportunities for additional leisure activities including attending amateur dramatics. As a matter of fact I attend every performance at the Portadown Amateur Drama Festival in March this year and have done for many years. I also like going to the Queen’s Film Theatre.
How well do you sleep?
I sleep well for about six hours per night.
Do you worry about getting old?
I do not worry about getting old as I am already old. However my mother lived to over 100, so I may have a few years left. Keeping busy keeps me going. Apart from my walking and running I am in four different pensioners’ groups as well as the Belfast U3A. In addition, as I live alone, I have a house and garden to look after.
What is your go-to product that keeps you feeling healthy?
Pure orange juice.
The Northern Ireland Pensioners’ Parliament, first launched in 2011, is operated by charity Age Sector Platform. This year, the two-day parliament will take place on the Thursday and Friday in the Europa Hotel and will see 200 participants engage with a wide range of experts, including, academics, policy makers and politicians, on a wide variety of issues such as age discrimination and digital exclusion. You can follow it on twitter @aspni and using the hashtag #NIPP18 or follow Age Sector Platform on Facebook, where the two-day parliament will be streamed live