A pair of Southampton tea party guests have reached the remarkable age of 101.

Jean Taylor joined the group when she was 80 and is eternally grateful for the lease of life it has given her.

“It’s really the reason I am still mentally fit,” she said. “I’m so grateful that I’ve been able to be part of the group. Getting out and meeting people is wonderful. It’s a great occasion. I always put on my best clobber before I set off.”

Jean served in the Royal Navy during the Second World War as a 17-year-old, assisting officers in Southampton Docks who were engaged in a top-secret operation to pump fuel under the sea to Allied forces for the D-Day invasion to free Europe. “I was a sort of ‘Batman’ to the officers,” added Jean. “My father was in the Navy so that’s the service I wanted to volunteer for. It was an interesting time and I only found out years later about the secret work.”

Jean was married to Arthur for nearly 50 years. After his death she found she needed support which came in the form of Re-engage tea parties.

Jean explained: “They certainly helped me get over the bereavement. I’m so happy I started going to them. They get me out of the house and I’ve made many friends. I think I’ve only missed one or two over the last 20 years. I also go to some Navy veterans’ events, so I get out when I can. It’s lovely meeting people, especially those who are younger than me.”

Jean will be 102 in June 2026 and Arnold Wilkinson, who served in the Fleet Air Arm during the Second World War, will reach the same age the following month.

Arnold, who has been with the group for nearly five years, is registered blind. He moved from  Lincolnshire to Southampton some years ago after the death of his wife, Joan, and now lives in a care home. Volunteer Rikki Shanks, who has driven Arnold to many tea parties, said: “After the war he became a secondary school teacher. He really is a great guy with a tremendous ear for classical music. His memory is still first class and he’s a brilliant storyteller.”