We meet Dorothy who is celebrating her 102nd birthday in the care home she lives at in Priorslee. We chat to the family and take alook through the family album.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00 So we're here at Prysley House on the outskirts of Telford there and this is your mother?
00:05 It certainly is.
00:07 What's your mum's name?
00:08 My mother's name's Dorothy.
00:10 Dorothy, I've got to say a happy birthday to you because it's your 102nd birthday?
00:16 How are you feeling about that?
00:19 Tired I should imagine, 102 years, wiggling and jiggling.
00:23 Yeah?
00:27 Are you, the sun's coming to shine on you today.
00:29 Well that's a good, they say the sun only shines on the righteous don't they?
00:33 That's what they say.
00:34 So tell me a little bit about your mum then.
00:36 Right, well, oh goodness me, her name's Dorothy.
00:42 She doesn't like to be called anything because they don't ever call her Dot.
00:46 Ah right, okay.
00:47 She doesn't like that.
00:49 Yeah.
00:49 She's been a resident at Prysley House now for just over two years.
00:55 Yeah.
00:55 And she in fact opened the house.
00:58 Did she?
00:59 Okay.
00:59 And the mayor came to assist, to help her.
01:03 Oh.
01:04 So and she had a big gold plated scissors and she cut the river.
01:10 So when was that then? How long ago was that?
01:11 That was October, um, 22, 23, 24?
01:18 Couple of years.
01:19 21.
01:20 Yeah, yeah.
01:21 October 21, that was the one.
01:23 Cool, cool.
01:24 And she had the, uh, the run of the house because she was the only resident for a few weeks.
01:30 Yeah.
01:30 She was spoiled absolutely a lot.
01:33 So you were lady of the manor for a few weeks?
01:36 She was indeed.
01:37 Okay.
01:37 And where did mum grow up then?
01:39 She grew up in Birmingham.
01:42 Yeah.
01:42 Um, oh, you were born at Kitts Green, was it?
01:52 Stetchford, yeah.
01:54 Stetchford's Birmingham, isn't it?
01:56 Yeah.
01:57 Yeah, yeah.
01:57 So you were a Brummie, a Brummie at heart.
01:59 Absolutely. True and true.
02:02 Yeah, yeah.
02:03 And, um, so I mean, we, you know, we meet these centenians, that's right, isn't it?
02:09 Yeah.
02:09 But what's it like from a daughter's perspective, you know, to have your, your mum with you for
02:15 such a long period? It's kind of special, isn't it?
02:17 Absolutely.
02:19 Very, very special. And I'm lucky that I only live around the corner.
02:23 So I'm able to come quite a few times a week.
02:27 Yeah.
02:27 And I mean, as you can see, she hasn't got much mobility these days.
02:33 But this chair is wonderful that she can get out and join in with everything.
02:39 Fantastic.
02:40 We have laughed, we have sing-alongs.
02:44 Yeah.
02:44 And tell Steve who your absolute favourite is that you like to listen to.
02:50 Go on. Michael Bublé?
02:54 No.
02:54 No?
02:55 Bradley.
02:55 Who have we got?
03:00 Bradley.
03:06 Who's that?
03:09 Bradley Walsh.
03:12 Bradley Walsh.
03:13 Yeah, she absolutely loves him.
03:16 Aww.
03:16 Always has to smile on her face when you mention him.
03:20 Bradley Walsh. Well, happy birthday.
03:22 Introduce us, see if we got here with you then.
03:24 Right. This is Mark, and mum's grandson.
03:27 Mark's grandson. But Mark, we were having a little chat off camera.
03:30 She raised you as a boy though, so I guess like a motherly figure to you really.
03:34 Yes, very much so. I was about two years old when my parents divorced,
03:39 and Dorothy stepped in to make sure I was looked after.
03:44 So you've got a, you know, that stands testament to her character, doesn't it, really,
03:49 of what person she is.
03:50 She made a lot of sacrifices actually to bring me up, and I'm very grateful.
03:58 Yeah, and was she strict?
04:00 There were times.
04:03 What I'm trying to say is were you a naughty boy for her?
04:06 Probably. There were times when I knew I wasn't perhaps behaving as I should.
04:11 But on the whole, she was very generous.
04:14 She kept you on the straight and narrow.
04:15 Yeah.
04:16 And he hasn't done too bad.
04:17 And he hasn't done too bad.
04:19 Well, Dorothy, we're going to, she's probably going to leave you now to enjoy the rest of your day.
04:24 But thank you for letting us come and share a few moments with you.
04:28 Okay, you take care, my dear. Thank you.