When you receive enough birthday bouquets to open your own florist, you know you must have left an impression on people.

Doreen Halliday has certainly had time to make her mark, having celebrated her 100th birthday with friends, family, and even Mayor of Dartford Cllr John
Burrell on Wednesday last week.

She marked the milestone with a party at Gardenia House in Pilgrims Court, Dartford, where she has been since 2002 – even longer than the registered home manager, Nigel Odd.

She said: “I have been well looked after here and have been here for quite a number of years. Here we’ve always had different things to do and when I was a bit younger I always got involved.

“I have been very lucky to be in a place like this. I can’t do much personally but they have always helped me join in with things if I can. I go down to the diner for lunch every day, otherwise I’m up here in my room. But I still go to bingo!”

Mrs Halliday was born in Halifax, West Yorkshire, and went to a local school, where she had lots of friends and enjoyed playing sport.

She left school at 14 and was a bookbinder before getting married at the age of 21, and then worked in a cake shop after the Second World War.

"I still go to bingo!"

She said: “My husband was an office manager and got promoted and had to keep going down to different offices, so we moved down south.

“I had two sons. One died as a boy and John is married to Jill with a child, my granddaughter Jennifer. They come when they can as they don’t live a right long way away. I talk to John every day on the phone, and twice on Sundays.”

Her great-grandsons are Billy and Jack, who went to Stone St Mary’s Church of England Primary School. She has photos of all of her family dotted around her room.

There were plenty of cards there too on Mrs Halliday’s 100th birthday, including one from the Queen.

Although she does not leave her room much any more, she certainly does not seem to have any regrets and looks back on her life – and her time at Gardenia House – with great fondness.

Mrs Halliday often used to go out on day trips organised by the home, with her favourite being visits to Teapot Island in Yalding, where she enjoyed the cream teas.

Dancing was also one of her main hobbies, and she often could not resist getting involved in some karaoke.

Such activities might be beyond her now, but when you’ve got good company and regular bingo, who needs them?