105-year-old woman celebrates birthday in pub despite coronavirus restrictions
A woman has celebrated her 105th birthday in the pub despite people being advised to avoid unnecessary social interactions due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Ellen Matthews, who was born on 17 March, 1915, said she was not going to let the current Covid-19 outbreak stop her celebrating with friends and family.
On Wednesday she enjoyed a glass of wine and afternoon tea at the Edge of Town pub in Northampton surrounded by relatives.
Matthews, who is known to most of her family as “Auntie Nelly”, added she wanted the event to go ahead because “you only die once”.
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The government has asked the public to avoid gatherings and crowded places, including pubs and restaurants.
Categories of people at the highest risk from coronavirus include over-70s, people with certain health conditions and pregnant women.
Matthews lives at home in Wooton, Northamptonshire, despite having a stroke and only having limited use of her right arm.
She has carers who visit her three times a day who, she said, “look after her very well".
Matthews added: “I have a very good appetite and I still manage to do little bits of cooking.
“I eat good food, loads of vegetables and I do enjoy a glass of wine.
“I have my faith, which is Church of England. When He chooses, I am going to go happily and at peace.”
When asked what her advice would be to help others live a long and happy life, she replied: “Keep going in the face of adversity.”
Matthews had a long working life, including as a nurse for premature babies at Northampton General Hospital and then working in care homes for seven and a half years.
She said: “I worked with little babies and I worked with older people until they died. I saw them in and saw them out.”
The number of coronavirus deaths in the UK has risen to 104.
It’s a jump of 33 from Tuesday’s death toll of 71: the biggest day-on-day increase since the first death on March 5.
The Department of Health announced the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the UK now stands at 2,626: up 676 from Tuesday.
