Former NHS worker from New Milton who spent over 80 years volunteering to help the community celebrates 100th birthday

A WOMAN who spent 80 years of her life doing voluntary work for the community is celebrating her 100th birthday.

Dorothy Langdon has been helping people since she was 18, as well as spending 60 years working for the national health service.

“I have always volunteered - it’s the way I was brought up,” she said. “All my family did good for the community.

“I started helping people when I was a child and started volunteering when I was 18. I only stopped because I was forced to stop driving at the age of 90, otherwise I’d still be doing it now.”

Among the local organisations Dorothy volunteered for was a hospice in Christchurch.

Born in Pontyprth, South Wales, she was the daughter of David and Natalie James who owned a brickworks.

After leaving school Dorothy went to work for East Glamorgan council before joining what was then the British Hospitals Association, which later became part of the NHS.

She became an optometrist, rising to a senior role until retiring at 60.

Dorothy said: “I loved my work and I was very sad to leave, but you had no choice in those days.

“You just got a letter the year before you were 60 saying what date you had to retire on and that was that.

“After I stopped working I didn’t know what to do with myself. I had been volunteering in my spare time so I decided to take it up full time.”

Dorothy volunteered for the WRVS during the war, going on to work for numerous charities after that.

She was married to Joseph Crompton, who fought in the war with the Duke of Lancasters’ Own Yeomanry regiment, whom she had a daughter with. Joseph sadly died when he was just 45.

Dorothy moved to the New Milton area around 30 years ago to be near a close friend, becoming the first resident of Brecon Close where she still lives.

She celebrated her 100th birthday by hosting an afternoon tea party at South Lawn Hotel in Milford.

She said: “I received a card from King Charles, which was lovely, I think I am doing very well for 100 – I have no carer, just a cleaner.

“I also do my own hair and have all my own teeth!”

Apart from her cleaner, Dorothy also receives regular visits from Sue Wilson, a befriender from the HOPe New Forest Charity. The two women enjoy chats and a cuppa, and as well as helping Dorothy remain in her home and stay independent, Sue reads to her.

Shirley Sidaway from the charity also helps Dorothy with administrative tasks and helps her keep in contact with family members by writing letters for her.

Georgina Towler, befriending co-ordinator for HOPe New Forest, said: “It is people like Dorothy we are here to help. It makes our clients feel supported at this time in their life, making them feel less alone and anxious about paperwork.

“When we can be alongside them, they are able to live longer in their own homes.”