Centenarian returns to former home to celebrate milestone birthday

A Stansted care home resident has marked her 100^th birthday with a nostalgic day out.

Antoinetta van den Ende, known as Netty, celebrated her new centenarian status by revisiting her Dutch heritage as well as her former home during a trip organised by the team at Care UK’s Mountfitchet House on Coltsfield.

Her big day began at Hatter’s Farm in Bishop’s Stortford to see its tulip fields. There were plenty of photo opportunities as Netty revelled in seeing both the blooming flowers and a windmill.

She said: “The tulips were just like my home! I felt like royalty at Hatter’s Farm as everyone was waving to me and congratulating me.”

The celebrations continued with a trip to Audley End House and Gardens in Saffron Walden, where Netty was reunited with her three daughters, Corine, Jenny and Beatrix, alongside her granddaughter, Kate and great-grandson, Jack, for a special afternoon tea.

The visit was particularly meaningful as Audley End was once her home. Netty lived on the estate for 25 years during the time her husband, Ben, worked there, with the couple residing in the Head Gardener’s House and running a market garden that supplied produce to local shops and London’s wholesale markets.

Returning to the Jacobean mansion brought back vivid memories, though at the time Netty lived there the house was not open to the public, so it was a surprise to see visitors freely exploring the grounds during her birthday experience.

Looking back on the celebrations, Netty said: “I have had a very special day. It all reminds me of my life over the years.”

Joanna Duke, Home Manager at Mountfitchet House, said: “Everyone here was delighted to celebrate such a remarkable milestone with Netty.

“Reaching 100 is an incredible achievement, and it was important to us that her birthday reflected her life story and the places that mean so much to her.

“Being able to revisit Audley End and see the tulips, which reminded Netty of her childhood in the Netherlands, made the day even more special.”

Mountfitchet House is a state-of-the-art care home that provides full-time residential, nursing and dementia care, as well as short-term respite care. It incorporates plenty of space for leisure activities and hobbies, and includes its own cinema, hair and beauty salon and pub.