A 100-YEAR-OLD woman has been presented with a certificate of thanks from a charity after raising hundreds of pounds for charity.

Gwenda Beresford, a resident at North Hertfordshire Homes’ Langleigh retirement living scheme in Letchworth GC, raised £700 for Cancer Research UK.

She asked friends and family to donate to the charity instead of buying her gifts after her two daughters fought the disease.

The great great grandmother, who is originally from Dorset, moved to Letchworth GC 11 years ago to be near her daughter, who lives in Royston.

Mrs Beresford, who organised her own birthday party, has been presented with a certificate of thanks from Cancer Research UK.

She said: “I had decided that I didn’t want gifts for my birthday, I have everything that I would want or need. And I thought I would get people to donate to the charity. That would do more good.”

Talking about the secret to her long life, Mrs Beresford, who has two daughters, four grandchildren, three great grandchildren and five great great grandchildren, said: “I have been very lucky and that is the top and bottom of it.

“I’ve had my ups and downs, but I have a great family and I was married for 54 happy years.”