'I have been blessed' - Meet the Leeds resident turning 104 who faces each day with a glamorous outfit

A Leeds woman set to celebrate her 104th birthday says she has been “blessed” to have had lots of time with loved ones.
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Staff at Westward Care are pulling out all the stops to make Southlands resident Olive Robinson feel true specially as she marks the milestone.

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The festivities begin today with an afternoon tea for Olive and the other residents at the retirement apartments in Roundhay, with a family party planned for her actual birthday on Sunday.

Olive Robinson is preparing to celebrate her 104th birthday this weekend.Olive Robinson is preparing to celebrate her 104th birthday this weekend.
Olive Robinson is preparing to celebrate her 104th birthday this weekend.
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The Westward team is also on track to gather 104 birthday wishes for Olive after putting a call out for people to send a #MessageToOlive via Twitter.

Olive had been living independently in Leeds and moved into the apartments as a short-term guest in the last month, but has decided to stay permanently aftter hitting it off with residents and staff alike.

Already a regular winner in the weekly quizzes, she said: “I’m very grateful to everyone for their well-wishes on my 104th birthday.

“People always ask me what my secret is to living a long life, but there is no secret. I’ve been blessed with spending lots of time with my family and the people I love, making memories and enjoyed my garden as much as possible – and, of course, getting up every day and putting on a glamorous outfit to face the day with.”

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Born on October 17 1917, Olive grew up in Leeds and went to work in a tailoring factory after leaving school at 14.

It was while working for tailoring company Montague Burtons that she met her husband, Leonard, who she married in 1939. The couple spent time living in Scotland, where Len was stationed during World War Two, but later returned to Leeds and welcomed daughter Joyce.

Olive cherishes time with her family, including her two grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

Although Len died in 2000 and only got to meet the two eldest of the great-grandchildren, Olive makes sure they all know about their much-missed great-grandad.

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