Former shopkeeper, lollipop lady and Girlguiding leader celebrates 103rd birthday in Worthing

Ena Hicks has lived at Camelot care home, in Tennyson Road, for nearly a year, having had a fall last Christmas, and had previously lived at Highdown Court, in Durrington Lane, with her husband Jim, until he died in 2016.

The couple moved to Worthing 50 years ago and together, they owned a hardware shop in Alinora Crescent, Goring, for many years.

Ena was born on December 8, 1920, to Alice Maud and George Matthew Robins, the eldest of four girls.

The family lived in West London and Ena met Jim when she was 16. Ena was in the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) during the Second World War and Jim was in the Home Guard – as an engineer, he was in a reserved occupation.

Ena was 21 when they had their wedding in 1942 and they were married for 74 years. Daughter Wendy arrived in 1943 and son Derek in 1948.

Ena was a Girl Guide and Jim was a Scout, so when Derek and Wendy became involved, they took an active part in the movement, with Ena later becoming a Brown Owl.

After they moved to Worthing, Ena joined the Trefoil Guild to support Girlguiding. She and Jim were in the Camping Club for 50 years, as well as being members of the RSPB. They travelled in Europe, Canada and Australia.

Both Ena and Jim manned school crossing patrols for different Worthing schools at the same time, which earned them a photo in the Worthing Herald.

After they retired, they moved to Brougham Road, until Jim had a stroke and was confined to a wheelchair.

Derek now lives in Australia and Wendy in Dorset. Ena, who has outlived her sisters, is Great-Aunt to six, Great-Great-Aunt to 12. She has three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.