The Chronicle

Happy 100th for Gladys

WELLWISHER­S GATHER OUTSIDE FLAT TO HELP CELEBRATE CENTURY

- By HANNAH GRAHAM Reporter hannah.graham@ncjmedia.co.uk

IT wasn’t how she had planned to celebrate her 100th birthday.

On the day she enters her second century, Gladys Robinson had hoped to celebrate with a meal surrounded by her family.

But because of lockdown, the Gateshead great-great grandmothe­r won’t be able to party with those closest to her.

Even so, Gladys’ large and “very close” family couldn’t let her spend the day completely alone.

On Sunday, her family arrived outside the entrance to Marigold Court, the assisted living flats where Gladys lives. Staff helped the centenaria­n downstairs and, staying at a safe distance, her family began to sing happy birthday.

Granddaugh­ter Mary Middleton, 59, said: “We are a very, very close family and we are usually over there all the time to visit, so it’s been very, very hard not to be able to see her.

“Even when I do the shopping I have to take it over, drop it outside the door and go, I can’t visit her.

“She’s been thinking she wasn’t going to see anyone at all on her 100th birthday, she didn’t know anything about this. But my son managed to arrange some singers to join us, so we could all stay apart, but still sing to her.”

Mary, to whom Gladys has always been “like a mam”, said it was “quite emotional” seeing her but being unable to get close, but that she was glad the family had been able to arrange something.

Born in 1920, Gladys worked as a cook in her younger days, starting out at Fenwick and Newcastle University, before working as a home carer, a career which granddaugh­ter Mary followed her into.

She lost her husband Thomas Robinson 20 years ago, but has continued to live quite independen­tly with the help of her grandchild­ren, who have now gone on to become grandparen­ts themselves.

Spritely Gladys is “amazing” for her age, Mary said, managing to walk her granddaugh­ter down the aisle when Mary got married last year.

Mary added: “She’s such a lovely lady, we had to do something for her.

“We were going to take her out for a meal with the full family and then have a big party, but obviously that can’t happen now. We couldn’t let her not see anyone at all.”

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 ??  ?? Gladys Robinson celebrates her 100th birthday
Gladys Robinson celebrates her 100th birthday
 ??  ?? Friends and relatives outside Gladys’ flat
Friends and relatives outside Gladys’ flat
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