BESSIE CELEBRATES 106TH BIRTHDAY

Catherine Saunders, known as Bessie, a resident of Bupa’s Airedale Residential Home, Pudsey, Leeds, is looking forward to celebrating her 106th birthday on Friday 23 October. The home will be hosting an intimate celebration in the afternoon with cake and balloons and the Lord Mayor of Leeds, Councillor Judith Elliott will be visiting the home at 10.30am to wish Bessie Happy Birthday. Bessie was born in Perth, Scotland in 1903 and had three brothers and a sister. Her father was a kilt maker and the family moved to Edinburgh where he became established within the industry. Bessie spent her career as a milliner and went onto marry her husband Bert who was a soldier based at Edinburgh Castle. She inherited a step daughter, Pamela. On Bert’s retirement, the couple moved from Edinburgh to Otley, West Yorkshire to escape the cold climate of Scotland and to be closer to Bessie’s friends and family. Bessie became a resident at Bupa’s Airedale Residential Home at the age of 99, after transferring from a privately run residence that had closed down. Her carer at the time accompanied Bessie and became a member of staff at Airedale. Bessie has a keen interest in current affairs and politics and was a fond reader of newspapers. Dianne Hashmi, home manager at Bupa’s Airedale Residential Home, says: “We are pleased to be celebrating this special occasion with Bessie. She is really looking forward to the day and we have baked a special cake for her. We hope she enjoys meeting the Mayor and spending time with her family.”