Still going strong Anne marks her happy 107th birthday
THE woman thought to be Bristol’s oldest resident said she feels “16 again” after receiving yet another birthday card from the Queen – having just turned 107.
Anne Brokenbrow, a resident at Stokeleigh Care Home in Stoke Bishop, turned 107 on Tuesday and marked it with special birthday celebrations.
For her birthday, Anne enjoyed a visit from her family, the card from Queen Elizabeth II and a birthday cake.
Anne made headlines in 2019 when she was granted her wish to be “arrested” by the police – even though she had been law-abiding all her life.
She is understood to be the oldest resident living in Hartford Care’s 16 care homes across the south of England.
Anne was born on September 28, 1914, two weeks after Britain entered World War 1. Anne, who worked as a secretary before she retired, went to live at Stokeleigh in 2018.
Alex Mazur-Kryszynska, Stokeleigh’s care home manager, said: “It has been our privilege to care for Anne who is always so cheerful and happy.
“We are wondering if she is possibly the oldest resident of Bristol. We would love to know if she now holds this record.”
On her secret to a long life, Anne said: “We are just normal people, enjoying life and always trying to be good at things, but I haven’t done anything special to reach this age.”
She also added: “I feel like 16 again as I haven’t changed, but if I’m 107 then that is obviously quite something to be proud of as not many people reach that age.”
The home is one of five in the north of the city that is participating in the Wishing Washing Line initiative, run by elderly people’s charity Alive Activities. In 2019 the care home took poart in a wish-granting scheme – Anne’s wish to be arrested stood out for obvious reasons.
It read: “My wish is... to be arrested. I am 104 and I have never been on the wrong side of the law.”
She said at the time: “I’m 104 and I’ve always been on the right side of the law, so I want to know what it’s like on the wrong side.”
Local policing teams granted her wish – taking her for a ride in a police car.
Stokeleigh Care Home is run by Basingstoke-based Hartford Care Group Limited.