SOUTH SOMERSET NEWS: Congratulations to centenarian Gwendoline Watts

HEALTHY eating is the key says Gwendoline Watts as she marked her 100th birthday in style by being joined by more than 50 of her family and friends who gathered together to celebrate the special occasion.

But even centenarian Mrs Watts could be excused for enjoying some naughty-but-nice birthday cake at her afternoon tea party on July 22, 2015, where she enjoyed treats and plenty of chatter in the communal lounge of Yarlington Housing Group’s Bowhayes Retirement Living scheme in Crewkerne, where she has lived for the past two years.

Mrs Watts had lived independently in the village of Dowlish Wake near Ilminster prior to moving to Crewkerne.

PHOTO – TOP: Gwendoline Watts with family and friends on her 100th birthday.

PHOTO – RIGHT: Daughter Mary helps Mrs Watts cut her birthday cake.

Visitors came from near and far to wish Mrs Watts a happy 100th birthday including her son Michael Watts who had flown over from Italy, daughter Mary Wheeler, friends from the community of Dowlish Wake where she lived for 32 years and those she has made since moving into Bowhayes Retirement Living. She also received a special call from her granddaughter in the United States.

Born in Leicester, Mrs Watts moved to Northampton when she was nine. During the Second World War she visited the RAF headquarters in London and offered her services which led to her joining the Women's Auxiliary Army Corps (WAAC) voluntary service.

The WAAC carried out administrative jobs so the experienced soldiers could be freed up for frontline service.

Mrs Watts was posted to RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk where she spent 4 years helping with a range of tasks including driving the car for her wing commander and flying with him in the tiger moth plane.

Mrs Watts met her husband, Donald, during her time with the WAAC who she married when she was 24 and together they moved to the South West.

When asked her secret to a long life Mrs Watts replied: “Healthy eating, swimming in the sea and being outside in the fresh air – we had dogs so I was always out walking them!”

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