Joyce receives hundreds of cards for 100th birthday

OVER 475 birthday cards were received by a Huddersfield centenarian after an appeal by her care home.

Great grandmother Joyce Wilkinson received the deluge of well wishes for her 100^th birthday after an appeal issued by staff at Aden View Care Home, on Perseverance Street, Primrose Hill.

Cards poured in from all over the world, including from Buckingham Palace, when King Charles and Queen Camilla sent their well wishes. Others arrived from America, Canada, Australia, and Germany, as well as throughout the UK.

She also received a donated birthday cake, cupcakes, and a generous benefactor from Canada, who didn’t want to be named, got in touch to pay for Joyce and a friend to go out for afternoon tea.

The care home was decorated with the cards, banners and balloons for Joyce’s birthday party, when over 50 friends, fellow residents, staff, and family attended.

Entertainer Bill Wright sang Joyce’s favourite songs and everyone enjoyed a buffet lunch, with Joyce centre stage throughout, in her favourite outfit and feather fascinator.

She said: “It has been a lovely day. Thank you everyone for making it so special.”

Joyce was born in Slaithwaite on 19th August 1923 and has lived her entire life in Kirklees, growing up in Crosland Moor and attending Hopkinson’s Primary School with her brother, Cyril.

She later worked as a mender at Mallinson Mill, which produced woollen and worsted cloth, before marrying husband of 59 years, Harry, who has since passed away.

The couple had one son, Michael, who has also passed, and now have two grandchildren, James and Rebecca, and three great grandchildren, Max, Finley, and Billy.

Joyce moved to Aden View Care Home in July 2018, where she enjoys taking part in activities including arts and crafts, singing, and chair-based exercises.

The home’s activities coordinator, Hayley Toyne, was the staff member who originally posted the birthday card appeal on Facebook and organised the party.

She said: “Joyce is such a special lady and we wanted to make her birthday as special as possible. She doesn’t have much family in the area, so I put a shout out on Facebook to get as many birthday cards as we could.

“We were all absolutely gobsmacked with the response, receiving over 475 cards from all over the world. The generosity of everyone has been amazing. Joyce has also received cakes and even an afternoon tea as a gift.

“We’d like to say a massive thank you to everyone who sent Joyce their best wishes. She had an amazing day in part thanks to everyone who took the time to send her a card, as well as those who came along to her party on the day.”

Kimberley Mckay, home manager at Aden View Care Home, added: “I wanted to add my thanks to those who sent cards to Joyce. It was very exciting to check the post each morning and see just how many more cards had come.

“I also wanted to give a special thank you to Hayley, our activities coordinator, who did such a fantastic job with the appeal and organising everything for Joyce’s big day. Thanks to her efforts everyone had a lovely time – most importantly Joyce.”