A CENTENARIAN whose motto is “life is for living” has celebrated her 100th birthday with a tea party.

Betty Hindmarsh, who lives at Don Thomson House Residential Care Home, in Low Road, Dovercourt, celebrated her birthday on Wednesday, July 1, with the staff and fellow residents.

She said: “Life is for living, there’s no point in being sad. Live your life as if it’s your last day.”

The great-grandmother who is described as having an amazingly positive attitude was born in Somerset in 1920.

She believes there is a very special reason behind her good fortune.

“I was born lucky, I was born with a caul over my head,” she added.

“My mother was always proud of this and I think it’s proved to be right.”

She said she worked at the Westminster Bank in Chelmsford before being called up for war service in the Auxiliary Territorial Service.

“I travelled to many parts of the country, but the War Office in London was the scariest place to work during the Blitz,” she added.

When Betty was 20 years old, she met her future husband, George in Somerset, where he was stationed at her uncle and aunt’s farm after being rescued from Dunkirk. She said they had to wait until the war was over before marrying.

They had three children Mary, Elizabeth and John.

Betty has five grandchildren, Simon, David, Olivia, Juliet and Rosalind, as well as six great-grandchildren, Freya, George, Rose, Patrick, Arthur, and Charles.

Betty recalls having a lovely life in Dovercourt from that time, when George worked for HM Customs and Excise, while she worked at the Two Village Primary School, in Mayes Road, Ramsey, and they were both involved in various clubs and organisations in the town.

Sadly, George died in April 1986.

Betty said she loves nothing more than spending time knitting for her family nowadays.

Last year she knitted every single family member a scarf - which was more than 50 in total.

Ann-Marie Greenhalgh, activities co-ordinator at the home, said: “Betty is always so happy.

“She is always smiling and when you tell her she makes your day, she always says ‘life is for living’.”