Health & Lifestyle, Poole | Posted on September 18th, 2025 | return to news

Poole care home resident receives 420 cards for her 100th birthday

A former Wren who turned 100 years old on Saturday 30 August received hundreds of birthday cards from the Poole community.

A care home resident who joined the Women’s Royal Naval Service (Wrens) during the Second World War has received hundreds of cards from the Poole community and beyond to mark her 100^th birthday on Saturday 30 August.

Kathleen, who lives at Elizabeth House, on Dolbery Road, received 420 cards from residents, businesses, nurseries, holiday clubs and military organisations from across the UK and wider Europe, with post travelling from as far away as Canada, Hong Kong and Australia.

The care home team at Elizabeth House, which is part of the not-for-profit charity Care South, organised the cards as a special surprise for Kathleen in honour of her past military service. They had hoped the community would send 100 cards birthday cards but ended up receiving four times more than that.

Claudia Carvell, home manager at Elizabeth House, said: “It was wonderful to see Kathleen’s huge smile as she looked at the vast number of birthday cards she had received from around the world. She is a truly incredible lady who has served her country, so we wanted to make an extra special effort to ensure that Kathleen could enjoy a day full of surprises, which exemplifies Care South’s ethos of Food, Fun and Friendship.”

Kathleen joined the Wrens at the age of 18 in June 1944, where she was given the role of a Bomb Range Marker, which involved monitoring targets and charting parachutes from a plane.

On her special birthday, Kathleen was joined by her son Tim, their extended family, her friends from Bournemouth Wrens Association, the Deputy Mayor of Poole, Cllr Pete Miles, and the care home team, who all helped Kathleen to open her many cards.

Kathleen’s son, Tim, said: “It was wonderful to be with Mum on her special birthday. She has always had a positive attitude and would never throw anything away, which I guess was in the spirit of wartime. She only spoke about the being in the Wrens in her later years, when she told me about the huge part it had played in her life and the many lifelong friendships that had come from it.”

Kathleen was also visited by WO2 John Morrish RM, Regional Engagement Officer SW & CI for Royal Navy, dressed in full military uniform, who presented her with a letter on behalf of the First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff in recognition of her service in the Wrens.

Afterwards, Kathleen blew out the candles on her birthday cake, made by the care home’s chefs, and then watched a special performance by the Bovington Military Wives Choir, which rounded off the day of celebrations in style.