Royal arrival crowns a day of joy PAGES 2&3
RESIDENTS OF CARE HOME MARKED ST GEORGE’S DAY AS WELL AS WAR HERO’S 100TH BIRTHDAY AS NEWS OF ROYAL BABY BROKE
It was a double St George’s Day celebration at a Sunderland care home as a 100th birthday party for a Wearside war veteran coincided with news of a new Royal baby.
Springfield House Care Home, in Bunker Hill, Hough ton, was hosting a party for centenarian Tom Stainsby and the afternoon gathering went with an extra swing when news of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s third child being born came through.
June Wilson, the home’s activities co-ordinator said: “They were all delighted and clapped and cheered and had a toast to the new arrival.”
Tom’s big day was marked as part of the buffet tea party and he also received a card from the Queen and a telegram from the Department for Work and Pensions.
War hero Tom was serving as a driver in the army when he was captured by the Germansduring the Second World War and put into a Prisoner of War camp in Poland. His skills were used by its chief officers as he was ordered to drive them round the camp, with his time in the forces also leading him to become fluent in German and Polish.
After the war ended, he became a bus driver, based in Philadelphia, where he me this wife Lillian, who was a conductor on its service–she was also a resident of the home until her death just a few years ago.
He was joined a this party by 10 family members, including two nieces.
June added :“It’ s important that we mark St George’s Day. It’s been electric, absolutely wonderful and Tom has been enjoying it. He’s a real gent.”
The home always marks St George’s Day with this year’s featuring the Doowop Dollies, vintage singers who sing songs from the 1940 sand1950s, followedby theHy lt onUkes,w ho followed on with tunes from the 1950s and 1960s.
Residents wore red, white and blue, with the women also donning fascinators they had made during a craft session.