A centenarian care home resident in Shawlands has received 30,000 birthday cards after an appeal from care home staff went viral earlier this month.
Mum-of-one Edna Clayton, from Battlefield, is celebrating her 101st birthday today after being inundated with affection - from her community and beyond.
Her care home, Hector House, launched a call for birthday cards after Edna was forced to spend her birthday alone last year due to Covid restrictions.
Since the appeal went viral, Edna received tens of thousands of cards, a happy birthday video from David Tennant and Michael Sheen, a surprise appearance on Good Morning Britain, and the card from the Queen that she had missed out on last year.
A very happy birthday to the remarkable Edna Clayton. Celebrating her 101st in style, surrounded by just some of the 30,000 cards sent to her Glasgow care home. Last year Edna spent her birthday alone. What a difference a year makes. @GMB #Edna pic.twitter.com/a2OcdAWgkh
— Juliet Dunlop (@julietdunlop) January 31, 2022
Glasgow MSP Anas Sarwar also popped into the care home to wish Edna a happy birthday.
Popped in to wish a Happy 101st Birthday to Edna Clayton.
— Anas Sarwar (@AnasSarwar) January 31, 2022
She spent her 100th alone due to Covid, but is feeling special this year after receiving 20,000 cards from all over the world! pic.twitter.com/faD7qKSzmb
After the surprise party this morning, Edna is set to celebrate on a party bus with son James, 58, and her pals from the care home.
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Care home manager Angela Todd said: “She’s just on another cloud right now, absolutely overwhelmed.
“Last year, she didn’t have the celebrations that she had planned, she just spend the day with her carers.
“She’s a very well-known character in the area, so there would have been more, but that didn’t bother Edna, she’s never been one to put herself first.
She added: “We’ve done it because she’s been an inspiration as a mother, she dedicated her life to her boy and did it all by herself, she survived a war, a global pandemic.”
“Until the pandemic hit she was still doing everything by herself, going out to the shop, doing the washing.”
“I think that’s why it went viral, we received so many cards and messages just saying how inspirational she’s been to people.
“We just hope we made up for all the birthdays that she didn’t get to celebrate.”
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