‘Determination and sport – it runs in the family’ – Cheltenham resident reveals the secret to living a long life on 100th birthday

A Cheltenham care home resident has celebrated his 100^th birthday and revealed his secret to living a long and joyful life.  

Edgar (Eddie) Cowley, from Care UK’s Sandfields, on St George’s Road, marked the impressive milestone on 12^th September, and was joined by residents, family and team members to toast the special occasion.

 

Revealing his secret to a long and happy life, Eddie, who is well known at the home for his love for all things football as a lifelong Wolverhampton Wanderers fan, said: “Determination and sport – it runs in the family”.

Enjoying the special day with a host of special gifts, Eddie was thrilled to receive a birthday scarf, cap and football matchday programme from Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club. 

Eddie was also given the special honour of receiving one of the last congratulatory cards from her late majesty, Queen Elizabeth. 

The care home team went above and beyond to ensure Eddie enjoyed a celebration fit for the incredibly special milestone, complete with a delicious football-themed birthday cake, and the opportunity to share memories about playing his favourite sport by showcasing newspaper articles from his time as a young footballer. 

Malaika Charles, Home Manager at Sandfields, said: “Everyone had a wonderful time celebrating Eddie’s 100^th birthday, and he was particularly pleased to receive a football scarf from the club that he has spent his life admiring and growing up watching games with his family members, in particular his dad.

“Eddie has been living at Sandfields for over four months now, and the home simply wouldn’t be the same without him. His wonderful perspective on life makes him a complete joy to be around!

“Here at Sandfields, we always strive to make an occasion of birthdays, and Eddie’s 100^th milestone was no exception. We had great fun decorating his bedroom and baking him a special football-themed birthday cake. Three cheers for Eddie!” 

Eddie was born in Wolverhampton in 1922, where he spent his younger years. Working in telecoms, he soon began travelling for work and moved around the globe, to Ohio, LA and Mexico. Working his way up to Senior Manager, before settling down in Rock, overlooking the River Camel, in Cornwall. 

Eddie’s second marriage, to Mary in Banbury in 1971, saw the happy couple together for 47 years. His main passion in life is football and after trying out for Wolverhampton Wanderers in his teenage years, he went on to play for Gloucester City for four years from 1942, Forest Green Rovers from 1946-1951 and finally, Cheltenham Town.

Sandfields is a state-of-the-art care home which provides full-time residential, dementia, nursing and short-term respite care. The home, which features 90 en-suite bedrooms, has been designed to enable residents to live active and fulfilled lives, whilst also promoting independence. The care home incorporates space for hobby and leisure activities and includes its own cinema, bar, hairdressing salon and café.

For more information about Sandfields, contact Customer Relations Manager, Virginia Peachey, on virginia.peachey@careuk.com or call 01242 258 800.

For more general information, visit careuk.com/sandfields.