Molly gets one of the Queen’s last birthday cards
A Shropshire care home resident has become one of the last people in the UK to receive a 100th birthday card from The Queen.
Mollie Blake celebrated her landmark birthday at Greenfields Care Home in Whitchurch on Monday, September 12.
She was humbled and saddened in equal measure to open her card from the late monarch which had been delivered just days before the Queen's passing.
The tradition of sending birthday and wedding anniversary cards on behalf of the Queen has been arranged by the Anniversaries Office at Buckingham Palace for decades – but the process has been temporarily paused.
Care staff rallied in the morning to decorate Mollie's room with cards, balloons and a cake which she later enjoyed at lunch with her cousins David, Wendy, Alison, Peter, Ann and Malcolm.
Home activity manager Fiona Talbott said that Mollie had enjoyed her centenary celebrations.
“She was so chuffed with all her decorations and the fuss she got on her big day," she said.
"She’s put her card beside her bed so she can look at it each day and treasure it.”
Mollie was born in Liverpool and her real name is Mary, although she has always preferred to be known as Mollie.
She has lived in cities across the UK but spent most of her career working as a headteacher in Malvern.
She loves classical music and art and enjoys chatting to her carers.
It’s understood that the tradition of sending messages of congratulations will continue and they will be sent on behalf of the new monarch, King Charles III, although it’s not clear when the practise will resume.
