Connie, 91, celebrates 40 years of volunteering in Milton Keynes

But when you are 91 and have been volunteering other for 40 years, that sense of achievement has surely got to be celebrated.

And members of the Wednesday Day Club did just that with a special sherry party for Connie Keeves at The Brooklands Centre in Newport Pagnell to mark her birthday and as well as 40 years of volunteering.

Her volunteering began when she helped out at the Brownies in Newport Pagnell and at the town’s swimming club, in the days when the pool was open-air and unheated.

When the first Brooklands Centre building was built, she and her husband Peter saw a notice in the paper asking for volunteers. That was 40 years ago and Connie has been volunteering at the centre ever since.

Peter also became a volunteer and used to drive The Brooklands Centre’s minibuses to transport elderly residents to and from the centre.

Connie donates her time by helping out at the Wednesday Day Club, a social group for elderly residents of Newport Pagnell, most of whom are younger than she is.

Although she lives on the other side of the town and sometimes gets a lift to the centre, Connie often walks there to arrive by 8am, ready for a full day of helping out.

After setting the tables for lunch, helping to prepare the vegetables, serving refreshments and clearing up, she’s given a well-deserved lift in one of the centre’s minibuses.

When asked the secret of her energy and longevity, Connie puts it down to keeping busy and going for a walk every day.

She said: “I enjoy going for walks to places like Lathbury and Great Linford. Walking and volunteering at The Brooklands Centre keep me busy and I’d rather be active and helping people than sitting at home by myself all day.”