STAFF and family at a Llandrindod Wells care home help resident Mavis Harris mark her 102nd birthday at the weekend.

Mavis celebrated the landmark with a beautifully iced cake and a visit from Llandrindod’s mayor Cllr Jon Williams on Saturday afternoon.

Bev and Pam Nethercott provided some musical entertainment at the care home to entertain Mavis and her guests.

Activities coordinator Pam Barlow said Mavis thoroughly enjoyed the day and was already looking forward to her next birthday.

Mavis was born in a small South Wales mining village called Cefn Fforest, near Blackwood, in 1916. Her father was a miner, as were most men in the village. Mavis was more than happy to share some of her memories from her long life.

“I can vaguely remember the Big Strike in 1926,” she said. “I remember queuing at the soup kitchen, and my father working on the ‘Patches’ – digging a very deep hole to get at the coal to sell and make some money for the family.

“I left school at 14 and worked at whatever came along. Then I moved to Llandrindod, working at the hospital as a Matron’s maid. The Matrons were very strict – prayers were said at 8am, with Matron Jane leading them.

“The Second World War came as a terrible shock. My husband went off to war in the Army Medical Corps. I was left at home with my daughter Barbara, who was two and a half.

“Fortunately, my husband came back safely and Michael was born seven years later. He became a Pharmacist, but is now retired. My daughter lives in the town.”