A glass of whisky a day keeps the doctor away according to one plucky 103-year-old – who has now supped over 2,000 BOTTLES in her life.
Betty Shimeld toasted her latest birthday with her favourite tipple Scotch – which she says is the secret to long life.
Betty celebrated the milestone at Berry Hill Care Home, in Mansfield, Notts.
Although she never married or had children, Betty said: “I have no regrets and I have had a very lovely life.
“The secret to a long life is to have a glass of whisky every day.”
Betty first got a taste for whisky when she moved to France in her early teens at the end of the Second World War.
She said: “The water wasn’t safe to drink so people used to put a shot of whisky into it to act as a disinfectant.
“That’s how I got a taste for whisky anyhow.”
Since then Betty has enjoyed a glass of her favourite tipple almost every night.
Over a lifetime, it would work out that Betty had supped approximately 1.6m millilitres of whisky – or roughly a staggering 2,346 bottles.
Betty said: “I know people are always being warned about drinking too much, but a moderate glass every once in a while is definitely good for you.”
Working as a taxi driver for the family business for the majority of her life, Betty travelled all over and even lived in France for a short time before settling in Ravenshead.
Growing up in a time when prejudices against women were still rife, Betty was due to be engaged but after her fiancé told her she wasn’t allowed to drive for her dad’s taxi firm anymore, she told him the wedding was off and mailed back the ring in the post.
Mel Johnson, activities coordinator at the home, said: “Betty is very independent and has had a colourful life.
“Her cousins came to celebrate with her last week as she was an only child, we had a party with champagne and cake. She went to the hairdressers to get her hair done especially for the party.
“It was a lovely day and from all at Berry Hill, we hope she had a lovely day.”
Betty, who grew up in Lincolnshire, loves to write and receives a letter every week from one of her childhood friends who she exchanges anecdotes with.
