Kathleen toasts 100th birthday as family members visit care home

Mrs Goulson, a resident at Care UK's Cedrus House care home in Bittern Crescent, marked the milestone with a visit from family, a birthday cake made by the home’s head chef, and a card from the Queen.

She raised a glass for the occasion and said: “It feels wonderful to have reached 100, and to be able to spend it with my family after the last year really is fantastic.

Kathleen Goulson celebrating her 100th birthday at Cedrus House in Stowmarket (Image: Care UK)

“I think the secret to a long and happy life is a contented mind. It's important to be happy with what you’ve got.

"I am surrounded by family and friends, and that really is what makes life so great.”

Mrs Goulson was born in the village of Cotton in 1921, where she lived for most of her life.

After leaving school, she worked as a cleaner and also worked in the agricultural industry.

She married her husband, George, and the couple had four children – Mollie, Andrew, Peter and Kenneth.

Mrs Goulson moved into Cedrus House in 2019, where she enjoys knitting, reading history books.

She loves keeping in touch with her four grandchildren, Mark, Trudy, Rachel and Gwilym.

Michelle Webster, manager of the home, said: “Everyone had a brilliant time celebrating Kathleen’s 100th birthday, and we were all incredibly excited to see her card from the Queen.

“Here at Cedrus House, we always strive to make an occasion of birthdays, whether that’s baking a big birthday cake, decorating the home, or raising a toast to so many happy years.

"It was wonderful to finally be able to welcome Kathleen’s family back into the home to celebrate with us too.”

Cedrus House provides full-time residential, nursing and dementia care, as well as short-term respite care.

The care home has been organising some special events in recent months including a "dine through the decades" project, where residents shared food memories and sampled a range of foods.