ICE CREAM VAN MAN ADAM SCOOPS GONG
CONE HERO HONOURED AT AGE OF 95
THE oldest ice cream seller in Britain has scooped a prestigious gong for his services to the community.
Adam Kelly, 95, kept his cool as he was presented with his British Empire Medal by the Lord Lieutenant of Roxburgh, Ettrick and Lauderdale, the Duke of Buccleuch and Queensberry, at a ceremony on Wednesday.
The veteran ice cream van man never had a day off sick in five decades of providing tubs, cones and 99s to residents in Galashiels, Selkirkshire.
He only retired last July after failing an eye test, which meant he can no longer drive.
While tucking into a bowl of vanilla ice cream and strawberries, Adam spoke of his pride at receiving the medal.
He said: “I was on the Queen’s New Year’s Honours list and I went down to the council headquarters to receive my medal. It’s a civil medal for over 50 years of service to the community, going around and selling ice cream.
“It means a lot to me and I feel quite chuffed about it.
“I’d like to thank all of my old customers. There’s three generations of them – the wee ones came to see me, before that, their mothers came, and their mothers before that.”
Adam’s first job also involved dairy – he started out at the age of 15 delivering milk and cream for his father by horse and cart.
He then served in World War II and took part in the D-Day landings in Normandy in 1944.
After the war, he worked for a local creamery. Then, in 1964, he took on evening shifts driving the ice cream van of Army friend and cafe owner Tony Macari.
He began his remarkable run with his own ice cream van two years later.