100th birthday of Derbyshire's 'Queen of The Vale' is celebrated with Alice in Wonderland tea party

Cynthia's big milestone was celebrated in style at The Vale Care Home, Bolsover, where many of the staff and residents wore fancy dress. Cynthia was Alice in Wonderland at the party, the theme of which was conceived by Julie Caulfield who is events co-ordinator at the home.

The lounge had a Mad Hatters Tea Party table, with a beautiful cake and fabulous buffet completing the theme, several items being baked by the staff.

Posters and balloons decorated the lounge and a disco was provided for free by a carer's husband.

Cynthia's family has expressed thanks to Natalie Bullimore, manager at the home and all her team for putting on such a memorable event and to the residents who joined in the festivities with gusto.

A special birthday card from King Charles and Queen Camilla along with clothes, chocolates, toiletries, and flowers from family, friends and The Vale Care Home were among the gifts that Cynthia received.

Cynthia, who was widowed in 1997, has been living at The Vale since October 2015 after she fell at home in Abergele, North Wales. She suffered a head injury and a consultant advised Cynthia's daughter that her mother was unable to live on her own and should go into a care home with nursing facilities. Her daughter, Yvonne Parker, chose The Vale so Cynthia could be near to her family in Derbyshire.

Yvonne said: "Everyone at The Vale has given my mother the care and love that she deserves. They are like a family, often going that extra mile and coming in on their days off!

"She is known as ‘The Queen of The Vale’, still charming everyone with her smile."

It was Cynthia's smile that first attracted her future husband Eric, when he was posted to Wiltshire for Army training after signing up in 1938. Eric saw Cynthia in a department store and was so captivated by her smile that he vowed that he would marry her, which he did in 1942.

Eric volunteered to join the Parachute Regiment, was evacuated from Dunkirk and overcame two injuries during his service.

Cynthia worked in a munitions factory during the war. She was previously employed as a telephonist for the Swindon Advertiser.

Eric and Cynthia moved from her home town of Swindon to his home town of Manchester in 1953 for better career and educational opportunities. Work and family reasons later took them to Edinburgh and Hampshire.

Cynthia worked part time in a local hardware store and then full time as a telephonist for the GPO now BT. Eric also worked for the GPO (now Royal Mail). He personally created the current Postcode system, initially designed to mechanise the sorting of mail. When Eric retired as the manager of the Post Office’s Scottish Management Training Centre in 1983 he had equalled the greatest number of promotions after starting as a postman (immediately after completing his 10-year Army service).

Eric and Cynthia had two daughters, Yvonne and Sonia (who sadly died from cancer in 2012). Yvonne has provided Cynthia with two grandsons, three great-grandsons and one great-granddaughter.

Cynthia continues to be a loving and generous member of her family and they are all very proud of her achievement of reaching 100 years.

Yvonne said: "Her grandparents lived into their early 90s and her mother lived into her mid 80s so part of my mother's longevity can be put down to her genes."

In her early years Cynthia had a passion for ballet dancing. She belonged to a dance troupe and took part in several productions. Cynthia's love of all kinds of dance has continued throughout her life, even making a good show when line dancing in her late 80s.