St Christopher’s patient asks for donations to hospice instead of presents as she celebrates her 100th birthday

Gwynneth Pedler will be marking her 100th birthday later in July with an extraordinary celebration and remarkable act of generosity.

A Dulwich woman set to turn 100 later this month has asked for donations to the hospice who is providing her with care instead of presents.

Gwynneth Pedler, 99, will mark her 100th birthday on 23 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.

The soon-to-be centenarian was referred to St Christopher’s in 2023. A subsequent fall and long hospital admission resulted in her being offered physiotherapy. There, with the support of the rehab team, she practiced some dance moves to the tune of Abba’s ‘Dancing Queen’ for her upcoming party.

Born in Bow and evacuated at age 14 during World War II, Gwynneth’s remarkable journey includes serving two years in the Women’s Royal Naval Service (WRENs) as an air mechanic before embarking on a successful career in education. She served as head teacher at three schools, finishing her career at a primary school in Oxford before retiring in 1990 at age 65.

Even after retirement, Gwynneth’s commitment to service continued. She took on a mentoring role with teaching students at Oxford Brooks University and later accepted a challenging assignment teaching English in a small mountain village in Poland through the British Council. Her impact on her Polish students was so profound that two parents and eight of her former students, most of whom are now English teachers themselves, are travelling from Poland to attend her birthday celebration.

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

Despite facing physical challenges that limit her mobility, sight, and hearing, Gwynneth maintains an inspiring outlook on life. “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,” she says.

On her support from St Christopher’s, she added: “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.”

She added: “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.

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.”

For anyone interested in Gwynneth’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
• Surround yourself with younger people – something she did throughout her almost 50-year teaching career.

To donate to St Christopher’s, please visit: stchristophers.org.uk/donate

Notes for editors

For further information, spokespeople or photography please contact:

Joe Nerssessian

Tel: 07889336607

j.nerssessian@stchristophers.org.uk