To mark the most romantic day of the year, elderly day care residents have given their own relationship advice – ranging from “jumping in with both feet” to “staying single”!
Pensioners from Harlawhill Day Care Centre in Prestonpans were visited by local grocery delivery service Snappy Shopper ahead of Valentine’s Day.
The day care members shared fond memories and romance advice – and they had many pearls of wisdom to offer.
Harlawhill Day Care Centre opened in 1992 to provide day care for frail and elderly people living in the area.
Snappy Shopper – a delivery service bringing food, drink and household goods from local store to door – surprised residents with boxes of Nestlé chocolates and spent time speaking with members about all things love.
Andrew Davie, former Prestonpans Royal British Legion secretary, has been married for more than 60 years, living in Prestonpans his entire life.
Andrew has six children, 11 grandchildren and two great grandchildren with wife Jessie.
He encouraged young people to “jump in with both feet” this Valentine’s Day.
David (Davie) Kiman, originally from Craigmillar, has spent his whole married life with wife Nessie in Prestonpans, where his daughter and family still live.
Davie, a former runner, goalkeeper and keen Hearts football fan, said that the key to love was patience.
He has been married to wife Nessie for more than 60 years and teased that the best advice for youngsters this Valentine’s Day was to “stay single”.
Meanwhile, happily single 85-year-old Phyllis said that couples should never go to bed on an argument, adding: “You have to agree together. That really helps.
“If you disagree, fling him away – unless you can kiss and make up.”
Asked what was the perfect gift to give a man, Phyllis said: “If he smokes cigars, I’d get him wee cigars.
“If he didn’t smoke, I would get him a nice pen to put in his pocket – so if someone said ‘oh that’s a nice pen’, he could say ‘Phyllis gave me it’.”
Evelyn Bellany, born and bred in Prestonpans, is mother to three sons and grandmother to five children. She has very special memories growing up in East Lothian and said the most important thing to consider this February was that “every day is not promised”.
On her board, she wrote: “Don’t put off today, tomorrow isn’t given.”
And she said of the day centre: “Harlawhill is the only place I have to speak to different people, so it is a really amazing place.
“The staff are exceptional; they would do anything for you and point you in the right direction.”
Fiona Mitchell, Harlawhill Day Care Centre manager, was born and raised in Prestonpans and has served Harlawhill for more than 30 years, joining the team at 21 and becoming sole manager in 2016.
Residents said that Fiona “would do anything for anyone” and that she was a treasured member of the team.
Snappy Shopper, with the help of Fiona, downloaded the Snappy app to Harlawhill’s large iPad, giving members the chance to try out the app in real time.
Fiona said: “Our members thought the Snappy team were all lovely and had a wee laugh with the romantic advice asked of them.
“They loved getting chocolates and one lady ate the whole box during the afternoon music!”
Fiona stressed the importance of shopping locally and supporting businesses in the area, saying that she liked to shop at local businesses on behalf of the centre, adding: “You need to support those who support you. We always shop local.”
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