Kind-hearted PCSO pays special visit to celebrate care home resident's 106th birthday

A kind-hearted police community support officer paid a special visit to a Beeston care home to celebrate a resident’s 106^th birthday. 

PCSO Chris Jones presented birthday girl Olive Sanderson with a floral display along with a personalised birthday card from the Beeston neighbourhood policing team after popping into HC-One’s Silverwood Care Home. 

He said: “We initially visited the care home on Saturday 7 December for a Christmas fayre event.

“We engaged with the residents and the staff and had a jolly good time.

"While at the fayre I was notified that one of the residents was celebrating her 106^th birthday in a few days’ time. After clarifying the date with the upcoming birthday girl, I promised Olive that I would pop in for her big day on Tuesday (10 December).

“Policing is a very varied job and the community work we do, including attending engagement events like these, is so important.

“It was a great pleasure to have the opportunity to celebrate the birthday of a lady who was born in 1918 - a beautiful caring lady who always seems to have a lovely smile on her face. 

“Olive was pleased to see me and actually said ‘you remembered to come back and see me.’"

Olive, who is originally from south Leicestershire, moved to Beeston about 30 years ago and has been a resident at the care home for two years and three months. 

She grew up working on her family’s farm, and later went on to become a landlady, running not one but two pubs, where she honed her love of good company and conversation. 

Olive’s daughter, Leonore Slade, said: “I think she realised people were making a bit of a fuss of her on her 106^th birthday and she enjoyed it.

"PCSO Jones gave her a lovely basket of flowers and a card which I really appreciate.” 

To mark Olive’s amazing milestone, the care home asked for people to send birthday cards to her.

They had a great response – with Olive receiving around 350 cards from well-wishers including from local schools, a nursery, and the local community. 

Senior carer Gemma Moss said: “Olive’s had an incredible life – and she doesn’t look 106! It was really nice that Chris popped in to see her on her birthday. I think Olive was really touched by that as well.”