Afternoon Tea with four ladies born in the same year as the Queen

I was a lucky man on Friday. I got invited out to Afternoon Tea with four delightful ladies. We met in the Wayfarers Arcade to celebrate the Queen's 90th birthday. A magnificent spread was set before us -sandwiches, scones and cakes-courtesy of the Dolce Vita Cafe.

The four ladies were Mrs Joyce Ord, Mrs Joyce Ryding, Mrs Veronica (Vera) Turner and Mrs Jacqui Wolsey. Mrs Ord lives in Lydiate opposite my friend Tony Robertson. She tells me that she takes the bus three times a week to come to Southport. Vera, who went to night school to study baking after she retired is still turning out cakes. She told me how much she enjoys The Bake Off on television. We both agreed that the scones were excellent. I learnt a lot that afternoon about the lives of the ladies and all the things they had done. We owe a great deal to that generation. I was so pleased to be able to share the afternoon with them.

Full marks to The Wayfarer's Arcade for finding such a delightful and novel way of celebrating the Queen's birthday and to Doce Vita for their hospitality..