Cake and flowers for Amorina as she celebrates 101 years
It was a day for cake and celebrations at a Black Country care home for a centenarian enjoying her big day.
Staff and residents at Verona Court in Wolverhampton put on a party for Amorina Jewkes on Friday as she celebrated her 101st birthday with flowers, a cup of tea and a piece of cake.
She was surrounded by her four children Arthur, Tony, Angie and Andrew, as well as a large number of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, with Andrew saying that he was very happy to still have his mother and celebrate her long life.
He said: "I'm amazed and delighted and so proud of her as she's had a few struggles, like most of us have, but she's well cared for and she's happy and couldn't ask for more from the people at Verona Court, who are like a second family to her.
"She's mostly confined to barracks, as it were, as she's effectively immobile, but she's very lively and happy with her life and if I knew what her secret was, I'd bottle it."
Amorina was born on September 15, 1922 in Abano Terme in northern Italy and grew up in the town, which is famed for its natural spas, training to be and becoming a nurse.
She met her future husband Arthur in a field hospital in the area during the Second World War when he was injured and she was working and, according to Andrew, the romance blossomed there and then, with the couple marrying in 1946.
The couple moved back to the UK a few years afterwards, setting up a home in Wolverhampton and having four children, before Amorina then went back to work in a kitchen at a college, before becoming caretaker at Primrose Lane Health Centre in Low Hill.
Despite losing her husband Arthur following his death in 1981, Andrew said his mum had enjoyed a long life and looking after her family.
He said: "In terms of hobbies, her main one was looking after her family, with four children and all her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, which took up most of her time, although she did also enjoy doing a lot of knitting.
"She also liked going to church as well, so that was the main thing, and I can't tell you what her secret is to a long life, although she doesn't drink or smoke and looked after herself until about five or six years ago.
"She also used to live on a very Mediterranean diet, so that might have a lot to do with it."
Verona Court manager Gemma Steventon said it was a pleasure to help Amorina celebrate her big day, saying she was a popular member of the home.
She said: "It's amazing and I can't properly put it into words what it means to us to celebrate her 101st birthday as she's caring and such a lovely lady who has dealt with her health and everything else with a laugh and a smile.
"She's just a positive, happy-go-lucky person and a lucky lady to have such a large and supportive family."
