A lifelong charity worker who lived in Sri Lanka and Singapore, before settling in the
UK, celebrated her 100th birthday on Saturday 1 March.
Gabrielle, who is known to her friends as Gay, marked the special occasion with a
get together at Paul Byrne House, Southern Housing’s independent living scheme in
East Finchley, where she has lived for around 35 years.
Gay was joined by her fellow residents, friends and Southern Housing staff to
celebrate reaching the incredible milestone. She opened gifts, ate birthday cake and
was even serenaded with a version of “Happy Birthday” on an acoustic guitar.
Bernadette Watson, Scheme Housing Officer at Southern Housing, said: “Gay has
led a remarkable life and we’re proud of her reaching 100 years of age. She’s an
amazing lady who is still incredibly independent – it has been lovely to share this day
with her.”
Speaking of reaching 100, Gay said: “I never thought I’d reach this age, I can’t
believe it. I don’t feel 100, although I wish I was still young and had all my teeth!”
Gay was born in Sri Lanka, where she grew up in an orphanage before leading a life
dedicated to charity work.
After leaving Sri Lanka, she lived and worked in Singapore for 20 years, where she
looked after children, which she describes as one of her fondest life memories.
Once in the UK, she worked at Harrods as a clerk before joining The Red Cross,
where she worked until she was 73 years old.
A keen gardener, Gay used to attend the Chelsea Flower Show every year, before it
became too much for her, though she still enjoys the odd trip to the garden centre.
On moving into the independent living scheme at Paul Byrne House, she requested
her own plot in the garden, which she tended to for as long as she could. She also
organised the weekly coffee morning for many years, resigning for a well-deserved
rest at the age of 91.
