Ministry celebrates granny's 103rd birthday

Healthy foods and a cap of brandy every night, is part of the secret to good health and longevity for May Pollard who celebrates her 103rd birthday on Easter Sunday.

Pollard, who was born in 1917, is a mother of two, grandmother of ten and great-grandmother of ten.

A release from the Ministry of Social Development and Family Service on Saturday said Pollard was celebrated by the Division of Ageing as part of the ministry's salute to the nation's centenarians.

“Please be good to old people and young children. If you see them falling by the road, try to go to them and ask them what happened because if you see them falling and you leave them there, God doesn’t like that,” Pollard advised.

“Do good to people, your mother, your brother, your friends. Have no enemies,” she said, according to the release.

The centenarian who has witnessed many events throughout her life said she now spends her days quietly relaxing and listening to the radio.

Division of Ageing inspectors Sophia Kennedy and Quelyn Joseph, responsible for the National Centenarian Programme where older persons are honoured for attaining the milestone age of one hundred and over, visited Pollard recently where she was given a hamper, from Social Development Minister Donna Cox and a personalised cake by the Kiss Baking Company.

Members of Parliament, local government representatives, friends, and neighbours are encouraged to register centenarians on the Ministry’s website at www.social.gov.tt or their respective Social Welfare Offices and calling the Division of Ageing at 623 2608; Ext 2002-2009 or email opic@social.gov.tt.