Lilian Hollinshead has celebrated her birthday surrounded by her nearest and dearest and nearly 2,000 birthday cards from all over the world following an appeal for birthday messages by the care home where she lives.
Dovedale Court resident Lilian, from Wednesbury, made her birthday wish last week in asking the West Midlands community to send her as many birthday cards as possible for her special day.
However, ‘Lil’ didn’t expect cards to start coming in from all over the world, with hand-written letters and gifts coming from as far as Australia and Germany.
On Monday (March 17) Lil spent her 102nd birthday surrounded by the care home staff she calls family, as well as schoolchildren from the local schools, councillors, mayors and even a long-lost friend.
Dovedale Court’s senior home manager Dawn Allen said: “All of us are just so overwhelmed with the response that she has received.
“She has had 1,750 cards so far. She has also had six handbags, which she said she always wanted, a purse, blankets and teddies. It’s just so, so overwhelming.”
Lilian was born in Westbury Road, Wednesbury on March 17, 1923, and shared her family home with her mum, dad and sister.
A Wednesbury girl through and through, Lil went on to work as a clerk at Rubery Owens, however, she had to leave her job to take care of her mother and father when they became sick.
Lil didn’t marry, and had no children, instead choosing to dedicate her life to caring for her family before they died.
Ms Allen said: “She has always been so lovely. There have been lots of tears so far, she kept on saying ‘what have I done to deserve this?’.
“She didn’t marry or have children, but she dedicated her life to her family and her friends. She was known as the pillar of the community. She is really such a lovely special lady.”
On her big day Lil was given her cards and presents before being taken back to her childhood street, then to a local petting zoo, had tea with schoolchildren from St Mary’s Catholic School, and finally, she was sung Happy Birthday by the choir at St John Bosco Primary School.
The home manager added: “She’s honestly been so overwhelmed by it all. When the schoolchildren came to her she told them ‘bless you all, you have made my day’.
“She is just so lovely and humble all the time, even at her age she still goes around asking if everyone is okay, or if they need anything. She’s brilliant.”
However, the birthday surprises didn’t stop there.
After seeing an article about Lil in the Express & Star, her old work friend ‘John’ made an appearance to surprise her on her special day.
Ms Allen said: “Lil always kept mentioning John, she was always asking how he was.
“Well, after seeing the article, this man came in and said he remembered her from when they worked together. It was John!
“We couldn’t believe it. They have been talking non-stop since he got here.”
The care home manager also took the chance to issue a thank you on behalf of Lil.
The message read: “We all really want to say thank you to everyone who sent in these wonderful card. It has really made Lilian’s day and it has really brought the community together, even from other parts of the world.
“It just really shows that old-fashioned community spirit, and shows that kindness is still there in the world. Thank you, everyone.”
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