A STROUD care home resident has celebrated his centenary year with a day of celebrations.

Bill Woods, from Care UK’s Scarlet House on Westward Road, marked his 100th birthday on 6th March.

To mark the big day, members of Bill’s family joined him at the home for a special celebration, and the home’s head chef baked a birthday cake, complete with a Welsh dragon, for everyone to enjoy.

Pulling out all the stops, the team at Scarlet House decorated the home with Welsh memorabilia, reflecting John’s Welsh heritage, including flags and banners, as well as displaying a virtual video tour of Welsh landmarks.

Knowing how much Bill loves dogs, the team also arranged for a special visit from Pets as Therapy, who brought along seven-year-old golden retriever, Chloe.

Suzannah Tullett, home manager at Scarlet House, said: “Bill is a much-loved resident here at Scarlet House and we all had a wonderful time celebrating his special day.

“We work hard to support residents to lead fulfilling lives, and marking special occasions and birthdays plays a huge part in this.

"We love any excuse to celebrate the amazing people living here at Scarlet House and Bill’s birthday was no exception.

"Everyone had a wonderful time toasting Bill’s birthday and sharing memories from his long, happy life.

“We’re all incredibly privileged to have Bill as part of the Scarlet House family – happy birthday!”

Stroud News and Journal: Cheers! Bill celebrated his 100th birthday with members of his family friends and team members from

Bill was born in the Rhondda Valley, in South Wales, in 1924. In World War Two, Bill joined the Royal Naval Reserve.

After he left, he was recruited by the Admiralty, a department of the UK Government responsible for the command of the Royal Navy.

He later joined the UK Atomic Energy Authority, based in Dorset, which saw Bill frequently travelling abroad to Europe and America.

Bill met his late wife, Myra, in 1946, as the pair lived close together growing up.

Together, the pair enjoyed 70 years of marriage and have two sons, Chris and Paul, eight grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Stroud News and Journal: Bill and his sons Chris (left) and Paul (right)In his younger years, Bill was a keen fan of cycling, football, golf, lawn bowling and dancing – now, he enjoys the many animal visits at Scarlet House, as well as singing.