Maureen ‘Pip’ Fullerton, a well-loved resident at The Cedars, recently met Poppy in the care home’s lounge when the miniature Shetland pony visited. Pip enjoyed meeting the calm 17-year-old pony and even gave her a kiss on the nose. 

Pip moved into the Purton care home in spring 2023 at the grand age of 101. When asked about the secret to her long life, Pip simply said: “Keep breathing.”

103-year-old Pip is very active and enjoys chatting with team members at the home. She takes great pride in her smart appearance—her granddaughter visits weekly to do her hair, and she discusses her outfit choices with her granddaughter, Lyndsey.

Second World War Plotter

Pip grew up in Wiltshire and left school at the age of 14 to work at a large house in Cricklade. She was 17 when war broke out and joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) where she worked as a plotter tracking the size and direction of incoming raids, from a base in Whitby. Pip was awarded medals for her war service which she proudly wears on formal occasions.

Pip fondly remembers meeting her future husband, Hugh - fondly known as Paddy - on a Sunday, her only day off work. He was from a large Irish family and had come over to help with the construction of RAF South Cerney, an aerodrome for flight training.

Later in their married life, Paddy worked as a lorry driver while Pip raised their two children, Lesley and Richard.

Moving to The Cedars

She is full of praise for everyone at The Cedars. After many years of support from her family and carers who visited her daily, Pip suffered a bout of illness and made the decision to move into the care home.

Pip said: "I had lost some weight before moving to The Cedars, but I put it all back on—and more—thanks to the good food. My clothes became too tight, so I had to buy some more!" As a lover of clothes and fashion, Pip didn’t mind the opportunity to update her wardrobe.

Speaking about the care home, she said: "I like everything here, especially the staff—they are wonderful. They work very hard and look after me so well."