Hakin’s Roma Davies is this week celebrating her101st birthday and, with all her customary spark, sums up her secret succinctly.

““Do unto others as you would want them to do unto you,” she says. “And this means live for the day, expecting all the highs and the lows.”

Born in Hakin, Milford Haven on June 26, 1921, Roma attended the local school and lived with her parents and great aunt. Always an industrious little soul, she was taught how to knit at the tender age of three and, following the outbreak of World War Two when she was aged 18, she soon learnt how to adapt to the shortages.

“All our clothes had to be altered and I remember making pillowcases out of old bed sheets,” she said.

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After falling and love and marrying Naval Ordnance inspector Frederick Davies, Roma moved to Kenya where the couple remained for three years. During this time she travelled extensively and regularly explored the foothills around Mount Kilimanjaro.

Returning to the UK, she began working tirelessly for the Girl Guide movement and was also a founding member of the WI branch in Milford Haven.

Her involvement in such initiatives led Roma to win an award in her home town, which recognised her outstanding contributions to Milford Haven. Pembrokeshire County Council also awarded her for her contributions to intergenerational activities in the local area.

Roma and Frederick had three children, Richard, Peter and Freda.

And as she entered her later years, her determination continued, and at the grand old age of 88 she learnt how to use a computer enabling her to keep in contact with her friends and family via email and video.

"Thank God I was able to use Zoom throughout the pandemic as otherwise I'd have lost contact with so many people I hold dear," she said.

In 2018 Roma moved to the RMBI home, the Albert Edward Prince of Wales Court in Porthcawl, where she celebrated her 101st birthday this week.

"I'm so very lucky in so many different way," she concluded.  "But if you don’t go through the hard times, then you won’t learn to appreciate the good."