Happy birthday to 102-year-old gran who received OBE

Friends and family marked Irene Carling’s special day with a party at Park View Nursing Home in Blunsdon.

Irene, known as Rene, looked back on an eventful life that began when David Lloyd George was prime minister, King George V reigned, and women had not yet received fully-equal voting rights.

Born in Middlesbrough, Rene enjoyed a happy childhood with six-week-long summer holidays spent camping in a bell tent in Saltburn.

One year, she befriended a young girl called Muriel Young from another family who pitched up next to hers. They often holidayed together and, after Muriel became a famous TV presenter, she invited Rene to tea – and introduced her to Eric Morecombe and his wife.

Rene’s working life began after she left school at 14 and received a place at secretarial college learning shorthand typing and accounts, then she got an office job in Thornaby on Tees preparing invoices for a company.

When her family moved house, they got to know the Carlings a few doors down. Gordon Carling would cycle over to her office after work to escort her home.

Rene married him at 21 and soon welcomed little Valerie to the world. Their daughter’s birth sparked a lifelong passion to help people with learning difficulties and, after seeing the lack of suitable care provision in her area, Rene ran a charity shop to raise enough money for a new care home to be set up.

The Gordon Carling Home, which Rene helped manage for many years, is still running today. She also ran the Kingsbridge Gateway club for people with learning disabilities, and worked with Mencap.

Rene received an OBE for her incredible efforts and was thrilled to meet Queen Elizabeth II.

As if this were not enough evidence of her compassion for others, Rene also helped her husband run a youth club and spent years looking after two children whose mother had left them.

Before arriving in Swindon, Rene lived all over the country.

After being stationed in Africa during the Second World War, Gordon returned home, joined the police, and moved to Gloucester with her.

Though their police-provided accommodation was basic - and at one point had no electricity, toilet, or bath - the couple made the best of it and added sons Ian and David to their family, then later became grandparents to James and Nick.

She credits her long life with her love of being active, often walking with Gordon for 25 miles over the Yorkshire Moors in one day, and going on caravan holidays.

After they retired and moved near Salcombe to indulge Gordon’s love of sailing, she accompanied him on ocean journeys between England and France.

Rene had a long-overdue gap year of travelling in her 80s to destinations around Thailand, Canada, and the United States of America.

Her faith has been a constant source of solace during tough times and difficult losses, and given her a strong zest for life.

Her granddaughter Emma Lake said: “People who reach this age are always asked about the secret to a long life.

“For Rene, her recipe is having a big heart to love people and life with, giving 100 percent to life and enjoying it, staying positive throughout everything, climbing over any obstacle, never giving up, and just having the ability to laugh.

“She is a true inspiration to us all, and if we could bottle her spirit, we’d be very rich in every sense of the word. We all love and admire her very much.”