Big celebrations for Atworth couple

2016 is an extra special year for local couple Fred and Audrey Lorimer as Fred celebrates his 90th birthday this month and the couple celebrate their 65th wedding anniversary in June.

The couple have lived in Atworth for almost 50 years, having never wanted to leave ‘village life’ or  the company of their neighbours.

Fred celebrates his 90th birthday on Friday 26th February and his family say he shows no signs of slowing down.

His daughter Jane Fawcett said, “Dad’s one hobby is his garden, which he works on for nearly 12 months of the year.  It is a credit to his hard work and we are sure this is what keeps him so active and strong.

“He takes care of mum full time which hasn’t been easy since her serious fall at home in 2014, and yet he is always on the go – washing, ironing, shopping, gardening. Dad is one in a million.

“Dad  had to work hard right from a very early age;  his early years were not easy as a young boy.  He went on to join the Royal Navy and enjoyed his time spent in the Service.

“He then went to work  for the company, Bowmaker Plant who were then based where Wiltshire Farmers is now currently located.  He carried out inspections and servicing of heavy duty plant machinery  which meant working away from home for months and months at a time. It was around the time when the UK was introducing the new motorways network, so mum and I would often have to go out on sites across the country at weekends just to see him.”

The couple also celebrate their 65th wedding anniversary in June this year. They are grandparents to Mark and Debbie and Lynsey and great-grandparents to Ollie, 11 Austin, 6 and Evan, 3.

Jane continued, “When the three boys come to visit mum and dad, dad can often be seen kicking a football around in the village, his energy is boundless.

“Mum and dad are the ultimate team and will tell you that they have hardly ever had a cross word.  They have also enjoyed many cruises and have been lucky to see so many parts of the world.

“I am extremely lucky to have two such loving parents.  They are well loved by all the family and from a personal point of view, they are very special to me and I cannot thank them enough for the support and advice they have given over the years.

“They bring joy and happiness to so many people they meet.  They like nothing more than to sit next to one another reminiscing about ‘the good old days’ and it is wonderful to see them laugh together so much.  Perhaps that’s the recipe for such a long and happy marriage.”