A 100-year-old woman has revealed her top secret to reaching her hundredth year - “being surrounded by family”.

May Adlam, who lives at Care UK’s Queen’s Court on Dedworth Road, shared her priceless advice for living a long and happy life on her 100th birthday, while celebrating with those nearest and dearest to her.

To commemorate May’s milestone birthday on Wednesday May 22, team members decorated the home’s lounge with balloons and banners ready for a party to remember, while the head chef baked a special cake for everyone to enjoy.

Born in India in 1924, May enjoyed a colourful childhood in Lahore before the partition of India and Pakistan.

She met her future husband, George Adlam, during World War Two, before making the move to England in her early 20s, where they built a life together. The pair were married in 1947 and enjoyed many happy decades living in Somerset.

The couple had two daughters, and the family has continued to grow, with May now cherishing three grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Throughout her life, May has always had a passion for badminton, knitting and cooking. She spent many years working as a shorthand typist for a number of different companies – a career she embarked upon in Lahore during the war.

The proud centenarian was thrilled to be surrounded by friends and team members as they came together to celebrate her momentous birthday.

When asked for her secret to a long life, May said: “Family is everything. My idea of heaven is being surrounded by family.”

Debbie Winwood, Home Manager at Queen’s Court, added: “It was a real honour to celebrate May’s birthday with her. She is a much-loved resident at Queen’s Court, and we all had a lovely time celebrating this tremendous milestone.

“Everything we do centres around supporting residents to live fulfilling lives, which is why we are always eager to mark special occasions.

“May’s 100th birthday was no exception, and it was a delight to hear her sound advice for living a long and happy life – it’s a beautiful reminder of the importance of family.”

Queen’s Court has been designed to deliver the very best standards of care and to enable residents to live active and fulfilled lives. The home provides full-time residential, nursing and specialist dementia care, as well as short-term respite.

Care UK is one of the largest providers of residential care for older people. As a well-established organisation with over 40 years of experience in caring for older people, they are proud to run more than 150 homes offering both residential and nursing care.

For two years running, Care UK has won more major care sector awards than any other large care home provider.