Gwynneth still campaigning as she approaches her 100th birthday

Published 18 June 2025 More in

Stories

“They asked me if I had a goal and I told them I wanted to be able to walk as far as the pub and the post office down the road.”

“Enjoy life and take all it has to offer. It’s a wonderful world. I can’t walk, see or hear, but my mouth and brain work overtime and I want to be on the ball!”

Those are the inspiring words of soon-to-be centenarian Gwynneth Pedler who’ll be marking her 100^th birthday in July with a party for 104 people who’ve had an impact on her life, including her two daughters Jennifer and Margaret, son-in-law , Andy, and granddaughter Jade.

Born in Bow, from where she was evacuated aged 14, she spent two years in the WRENs as an air mechanic, before becoming a teacher. A successful career in education saw Gwynneth serve as head at three schools, finishing up at a primary school in Oxford, before retiring in 1990 aged 65, four years after the death of her husband Cyril whom she’d met at a Maidenhead youth club during World War II.

As a sign of things to come, Gwynneth didn’t slow down, taking up a new role, mentoring the teaching students at Oxford Brooks University.

“I can’t say I enjoyed absolutely every minute, but, overall, I loved being a teacher and I think I was good at it,” she reflects. “ I think the secret to being a good teacher is respecting everyone – including the children. I would tell the children – we respect everyone.”

When most people might have thought it was time to sit back and relax a bit, Gwynneth took on yet another challenge – one which has provided her with a fabulous legacy.

Albeit slightly reluctantly, Gwynneth extended her working life yet further, heading off to a small mountain village in Poland to teach English on a scheme run by the British Council. As well as loving the place and people, Gwynneth taught herself to speak Polish and had a lasting impact on her students. Two of the parents and eight of her former students, almost all of whom are now English teachers, are travelling over for her 100^th birthday party.

Determined to be able to both speak to and understand what her Polish guests say, Gwynneth has been taking weekly conversation classes with a Polish neighbour of hers in Dulwich.

That’s just one of the many things helping her achieve her ongoing desire to keep busy.

“I do creative writing and have had a number of articles published in anthologies and I’m in a book group. I also go to church twice a week and I’m going on holiday to Poole with an organisation that supports people with limited vision.

Then there are the causes that she fights for.

“Last year I went to a Southwark Council cabinet meeting as part of a campaign for more toilets in the borough. I gave a speech, saying how important it was and that the best present I could hope for would be for them to agree to all our proposals. They did and now I am campaigning for better loos in Lambeth.”

That campaigning streak was also evident when Gwynneth sat on the plinth in Trafalgar Square broadcasting messages about how disability is an asset not a hindrance and when she paraglided on the Sussex Downs to encourage older and disabled people to live life to the full.

With failing eyesight and a constant desire to keep in touch with family and friends, she’s also made sure to keep up with modern technology and happily reels off the number for her mobile phone for which, along with her computer, she has mastered voice activation. What have been Skype calls with the family every Sunday, will now have to switch to Zoom. “I’ll have to work out how to do that. But I’ll definitely do it,” says Gwynneth with her typical positivity.

For anyone interested in Gwyneth’s recipe for a long and healthy life, she offers three tips.

Brazil nuts – one a day with her breakfast to feed her brain, soap-free washing – which she credits for her wrinkle-free face and, to keep feeling young, surround yourself with younger people – something she did throughout her almost 50-year teaching career.

So, what brings Gwynneth to St Christopher’s, readers might be wondering?

“Two years ago, doctors found something they didn’t like the look of in Gwynneth’s stomach, concluded it wasn’t operable and referred her to the hospice. A subsequent fall and long hospital admission resulted in Gwynneth being offered physiotherapy. With an electric and manual wheelchair, mobility scooter, walking frame and walking stick, it’s clear she’s determined to keep moving.

“The physio at St Christopher’s was really good. They asked me if I had a goal and I told them I wanted to be able to walk as far as the pub and the post office down the road, as well as walk up the stairs at my daughter’s house. The people there were so good and I did exactly what they told me to. I just wish I could have had more than the six sessions.”

Here’s Gwynneth in action during one of her physio sessions

It’ll surprise no one to discover that, when offered, Gwynneth grabbed the opportunity to do art therapy too – something she’s thoroughly enjoying.

“The thing I really like about going there is that it’s so calm. The nurses and other staff are all so calm that it makes me feel calm. I’m sure there are a lot of people there who are much worse than me, but you never see anyone upset or cross and all the staff are just out to help you

Such is Gwynneth’s gratitude for St Christopher’s that she’s requesting guests at her party to donate to the hospice rather than give her a present.

Donate to Gwynneth’s birthday fundraiser!

Approaching this monumental milestone, Gwynneth is happy to share her thoughts on the end of life too.

“Death is an event I can’t stop happening. It’s part of my life. I’ve had my funeral planned for a long time. Because of my faith I expect God to look after me and to get me through whatever leads to my death. I find it hard to understand people who don’t know how to face their death.”