Clipston resident celebrates 90th birthday and 76 years as WI member

Julia Blake president of Clipston WI with Grace Burham 90 and daughter Angela Fellowes during the cake cutting. PICTURE: ANDREW CARPENTER

Has lived in the village all her life

A Clipston resident has celebrated her 90th birthday and 76 years in the WI.

Grace Burnham saw in her birthday on October 6 with two surprise parties – one organised by her family and one by her beloved fellow Women’s Institute members.

The Clipston Village Hall trustee has always been an active member of the community, living in the village since she was born, attending Clipston School and residing in her present home for the last 70 years.

When she was younger she worked in an underwear factory in Harborough, biking five miles to work and back each day. During that time she also looked after three children in Clipston after their mother became ill with TB.

Grace married husband Douglas in 1949 and together they had seven children. Grace also worked in the village school canteen as the cook for 25 years.

Tragically two of the children died of a heart condition, and Douglas passed away in 1996. But Grace is now a proud grandmother of seven and great grand-mother of nine.

Fellow WI members say her tip for a long and happy life is to surround yourself with family, help other people and to integrate yourself in village life.

Chairwoman Julia Blake told the Mail: “Grace has been a member since she was 14, so 76 years, she is our oldest member. Her daughter joined Clipston WI at 16 and was 70 this year – so quite a pair.

“Grace’s mother Doris Woodhouse was a staunch WI member too, she joined the WI juniors in 1918 at the age of twelve when the Clipston WI was established. She served on the WI committee from President to committee member and was a member until she died in 1987.

“Grace became a trustee of Clipston village hall in 1972 and is still one now, until recently, running two jumble sales a year as well as bingo and Whist Drives to raise funds. On the afternoon of her birthday, she went to the local Whist Drive.

“We held a surprise party for Grace and presented her with a framed WI certificate for 76 years membership and gifts for her garden, as well as a special birthday cake and signed card.”