100 cards for Nora’s 100th
CARE HOME WANTED TO MAKE SURE BIG DAY WAS SPECIAL
A CENTENARIAN has been left “overjoyed” after she received more than 100 birthday cards to mark her milestone day thanks to a social media campaign.
Nora Gates spent the morning of her 100th birthday busily opening 103 birthday cards from well-wishers across the country who answered her care home’s call to make big birthday one to remember. And her bevy of cars included one from the Queen.
Mrs Gates has been a resident a Nether Hall Care Home in Nether Hall Road, Hartshorne, since April, and its staff wanted her lockdown birthday to be one to remember.
She is still incredibly fit and well and gets herself up, dressed and washed whenever suits her best. She likes a cheeky tipple of sherry most nights too.
Aaliyah Barsby, care home assistant, said: “She couldn’t quite believe she was 100. We decorated the dining room with banners and gave her 103 cards.
“Nora was very overwhelmed as we had set a mission to get 100 cards for the lady. We succeeded, she had flowers, cupcakes and many different gifts off the local community.
“She couldn’t comprehend she was 100 and was delighted at the day she had, with the three-tier cake, the Queen’s card and the afternoon tea we provided for the birthday girl and remaining residents.
“She was opening them up and asking who they were from. We had to explain what we had done. She was overjoyed by the whole thing. She was really happy.”
Mrs Gates was born on February 17, 1921, the only child to Ethel and George Mitchell.
She was born in Outwood, Wakefield, in Yorkshire, and grew up in Wakefield. She recalls going to Outwoods in Burton to visit her grandparents as a young child.
Her mum worked in a corner shop and her father worked as a miner down the pit.
At the age of 15 she started working at Jessop’s in Nottingham, which was later bought by John Lewis. Nora was 23 when her father died and the corner shop was sold.
Nora talks very highly of her time at Jessop’s and told how she earned a shilling and a ha’penny in her first pay packet. When she was in early 20s, she started a job in an office and it was here she met her future husband Reginald Albert Gates.
His sister owned the offices where she worked.
One day Reg walked in, but she said she didn’t pay much attention to the ‘gent.’
However, he had noticed her and the following day he called and asked to take her out for tea that day and she agreed, and in 1946, aged 25, the pair were married.
Six years later, their only child Phillip was born.
They eventually moved and spent the majority of their married lives in Scarborough. Reg died eight years ago.
Ms Barsby said: “Nora’s favourite colour is baby pink because she said she always loved the colour in little girls’ prams. Her favourite sweet delight is a cream puff or a chocolate eclair.
“Nora has a truly brilliant memory and will tell stories all day long if she can. She is a fond fan of the all-in-one bodysuit garments which she got from Jessop’s and is a religious wearer of it.”
Her son said she is a brilliant mother and an excellent cook. He was very well looked after but she was a terrible worrier and didn’t/doesn’t like change.
Nora was very overwhelmed as we had set a mission to get 100 cards for the lady Aaliyah Barsby