Elderly woman who will turn 100-years-old in Headingley care home can’t see family on her birthday due to Covid restrictions

Margaret Goldie will celebrate her 100th birthday on January 3 at Little Sisters of the Poor care home.

She has been a resident of the Catholic home on Shire Oak Road for seven years but is not allowed visitors according to Covid rules because her family live in different cities which are in different Tiers.

Her niece, Helen Tindall, has not seen her since her 99th birthday last January.

Helen said: “We live in the Lake District which is in Tier 2 but we can’t visit Leeds because it’s in Tier 3.

“Also, Auntie Margaret is on the second floor of the care home and she can’t come downstairs so we wouldn’t even be able to see her at the door.

“She’s been my auntie for 57 years and she really is such a lovely, gentle soul.”

Margaret has been married and widowed twice, firstly to Helen’s uncle, and secondly to a man she met whilst working at Leeds University.

She has two step-daughters but no children of her own.

Helen added: “Margaret is a fit 100-year-old and her favourite restaurant is Gusto at Cookridge so we probably would have taken her there for lunch or afternoon tea if we could.

“She hasn’t heard anything about the vaccine yet but she just wants to be back seeing people.

“There’s nothing I’d like more than to go and see her but we want to keep her safe and well.”

The 99-year-old is a huge cat lover and sends Helen’s cats mail in the post.

Margaret was born in Harrogate.