Most people just get a letter from the Queen when they turn 100 years old. Not Winnie Blagden. The 99-year-old, who becomes a centenarian on Sunday, received 16,000 cards, more than 200 presents and bunches of flowers this week following a Facebook campaign by BBC Radio Sheffield.
Staff at the station had heard that she was due to the hit the milestone this month but that she had no one to share it with following the death of her husband George. The couple never had children.
Birthday wishes from as far afield as Singapore, the United States and Taiwan were delivered to Sheffield Town Hall, where Winnie was surprised with a champagne reception, lunch in the lord mayor's parlour and entertainment from schoolchildren.
"Everything has been lovely, I'm not used to it," she told the crowd. "I don't know why they're making all this fuss but I want to thank everyone, it's been beautiful."
Reporter Kat Harbourne led the campaign, and said she heard about Winnie by one of her carers, Sue Pinder, at a BBC roadshow.
"Sue was worried that, as Winnie has no family, she would not have a very good birthday," she said. "We got thinking and decided to put out a small appeal to see if we could get a hundred cards or letters for Winnie to open on her birthday. We've been staggered by the response."
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Fuente: mashable.com
