Call for 103 birthday cards for 103-year-old New Mills woman without any family

Mabel White has no children, has outlived her husband and has no family.

Her birthday is Monday January, 20 and the staff at Watford Care Home in New Mills want the community to send her a card to make the occasion special.

Matthew Cox, activities and wellbeing manager at the care home said: “We all love Mable.

“She has been with us for five years and had her big 100th birthday during covid and again her 101st birthday all without too much of a fuss because of restrictions so we really would like to do something special for her this year.”

Mabel was born around Ashton-Under-Lyne in 1922 and she was 17 when World War Two broke out, says Matthew.

It's not clear what Mabel did during the war years, but photographs and documents suggest she looked after young children and worked in a post office.

In diaries Mabel kept from her father shows that he brought a variety of bombers and fighter aircraft from Canada to Britain sometimes with a skeleton crew or even single handedly.

Matthew said: Mable did not have any children of her own but loved her cats and a passion for traveling the world.

“Mable loved planning a holiday away, just resting at home or going for a walk on the hills.”

Mabel has dementia and is losing the ability to speak, says Matthew.

“We didn’t think she would be still with us but she is and we want to give her the best birthday possible.

“She won’t be getting any cards apart from the staff one so we wondered if any schools, groups or just people in the community wanted to send her a card and make her feel special for the day.

“I’d love it if we could get 103 cards for her 103rd birthday - that would be amazing.”

If anyone would like to send Mabel a card for her birthday on January 20 send them to Watford House Care Home, New Mills SK22 4EJ.