Centenarian says she had the best day of all her lives as she celebrated 101st birthday with more than 35,000 cards she received after an appeal online.
Edna Clayton didn’t get to celebrate her 100th Birthday last year because she was still living alone.
Mrs Clayton now lives in Hector House care home, Shawlands. Angela Todd, her manager, was keen to celebrate her birthday and put out a call for cards via social media.
The response has been overwhelming with over 30,000 cards coming in from all around the globe.
Edna spent her birthday time with James, her son (PA).
Celebrities like Zoe Ball, John Gordon Sinclair and Michael Sheen have sent birthday wishes. The President of Luxembourg and Texas firefighters also sent birthday wishes. Mrs Clayton was sent a card by the Queen, while Prime Minister Boris Johnson wrote a letter.
She said: “I’ve had a wonderful day, the best of my life, great, all the attention, all the care, what more could anyone ask for.”
She claimed that she is “over the moon”Receive a card from Queen
When asked if there were secrets to living a long and healthy life, she replied: “There’s no secret, I take each day as it comes.”
Sir Billy Connolly also sent an email to Mrs Clayton via BBC Scotland. He said: “I’d like to wish you a happy birthday. A hundred and one – that’s spectacular. Well done!”
The 101-year-old lived for many decades in the Battlefield area of Glasgow and was a carer to her son James, who has Down’s syndrome and now lives in sheltered accommodation.
Every corner of the world, she’s received cards expressing her admiration for her motherhood.
Angela Todd
Ms. Todd stated: “When Edna first came to us she told us that on her 100th birthday she hadn’t received her card from the Queen. So with her 101st approaching, we knew she had a very small circle of family and friends, we thought let’s put a wee appeal out to the folk of Shawlands and ask kids to make cards and things like that, get some cards through the door.
“The post just went viral and we’ve received cards from all over the world. we are sitting at over 30,000 cards at this moment in time, flowers, parcels everything.
“She did get the card from the Queen this morning and also a letter from the Prime Minister so she is over the moon about that.”
She also added: “From every corner of the world she’s had cards saying what an inspiration she has been as a mother, it’s been lovely.”
Mrs Clayton’s son James, now in his 50s, joined her to celebrate her birthday on January 31 and they also enjoyed a trip around Glasgow on a party bus.
Ms. Todd stated: “She brought him up on her own since her husband passed away some 30 years ago.
“Her life has been devoted to her son, he means so much to her so it meant a lot to her to see her today.”