Diamond couple celebrate anniversary
SONNING: While their party may have been cancelled due to the coronavirus outbreak, the daughter of a couple in Sonning made sure her parents’ 60th anniversary was one to remember, writes Jade Kidd.
Carole Collier, 59, organised a surprise celebration outside the home of her parents Enid and
Geoff Harvey to mark the milestone.
Their Diamond anniversary was set to be marked with a party on Saturday, June 27, however, due to the coronavirus outbreak, this was cancelled.
Instead, at 1pm on Thursday, June 25, friends, family, and neighbours gathered outside the front of their home for a surprise celebration complete with banners, bunting, balloons, and a cake.
Members of the Sonning Glebe Women’s Institute, of which Enid is a founder member, also watched on as the Sonning Handbell Ringers rung tunes before Carole made a short speech and toast to her surprised parents.
Enid, 79 and Geoff, 83 met in 1952, aged 12 and 15, while bell ringing at St Stephen’s Church in Ealing and married at the church in 1960.
The pair have lived in the same house in Sonning since 1963 and Geoff still rings at St Andrew’s Church in the village.
The couple have two children, six grandsons and one great-grandson.
Discussing the surprise celebration, Carole said:
“It was very nice and I think everybody thoroughly enjoyed themselves and certainly [for] mum and dad it was a total surprise.
“They’ve obviously had 60 plus years together and I think they are still looking forward to another good few years to come.”
Geoff said: “It was a wonderful day.”