A VETERAN from Ross-on-Wye received more than 500 cards and messages from the local community as he celebrated his 100th birthday last week.

Ivor Hill, who lives at West Bank Residential Home in Ross, celebrated the milestone last Thursday (April 15) surrounded by his family, care home staff and fellow residents.

Staff at the home launched an appeal to the local community last month to see if they could get 100 cards for Ivor for his landmark birthday, and they achieved the target and then some with a total of 519 cards.

One of the cards that Ivor received to mark the occasion came from Her Majesty the Queen.

Two local children, Jake and Cora from Goodrich Primary School, also visited the home to wish Ivor a happy birthday.

Staff said that Ivor was very touched that Jake and Cora had come to see him, and that both children were amazed as ‘they had never met anyone that old before’.

On the day, his family visited the home to celebrate and spent some time reminiscing, as well as opening cards and presents, and joined staff and residents in raising a glass to toast Ivor’s birthday.

Ivor, who was born and bred in Ross-on-Wye, was in the army during the Second World War and went on to become a painter and decorator, also training as a grainer in which he used stains to replicate wood finishes.

Though he always wanted to be a mechanic, he also worked on farms and as a sawyer at a sawmills during his lifetime.

A care home staff member said: “Ivor was told that being a farm hand was good enough for the rest of the family so it was good enough for him!”

He and his wife have two children, several grandchildren, some great grandchildren and also some great great grandchildren.

Care home staff say that Ivor ‘loves a good curry and most definitely chocolate’, and his favourite tipple is a can of John Smiths.

Ivor also loves to watch boxing as he previously boxed himself in the army.

In addition to his card from the Queen, he received a letter and signed photo from former boxer Frank Bruno for his birthday and ex-Formula One driver David Coulthard also sent him a signed book all the way from Monaco.

A spokesperson for the care home said: “We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the children and staff in organising and making such beautiful cards.

“All the staff here at Westbank and Ivor’s family have been bowled over by the love, kindness and thought that has gone into each and every card.

“We are especially over the moon to of received so many cards in such trying times, the pandemic has effected the whole world and for people to of gone out and either made or bought a card has really touched our hearts.

“We have had cards from all over the world.”