‘I’m still dancing’: Derbyshire woman has 105th birthday rave at care home

It was a birthday party that would do even the most seasoned raver proud, with strobe lighting, glow sticks and a headline act who has played some of the biggest festivals in the UK.

The birthday girl sipped on champagne, while guests helped themselves to free-flowing cocktails from a pop-up bar run by Jägermeister. This was not an Instagram influencer’s Ibiza pool party, however – it was Hilda Jackson’s 105th-birthday rave in her Derbyshire care home.

“I’ve had a wonderful time. The people here are wonderful and I think we’ve had a really good time,” Jackson said, her face decorated with UV paint. “I’ve enjoyed every minute of it, and that’s everything.

“I think it’s been absolutely fabulous. I never expected this at all. I knew there’d be some [people] but not the amount of all the people who have come. And I’m very, very grateful to everyone that has come, [it’s] lovely.”

View image in fullscreen Jackson puts her long life down to being dealt a good hand with her health – but also to her love of dancing. Photograph: Christopher Thomond/The Guardian

Jackson has lived at Holbrook Hall residential home, near Belper, for about two and a half years. She was born and grew up in nearby Ripley, where she went to school and married her late husband, Walter.

For part of her life she worked at the police headquarters and in hospitality doing silver service, and also worked at a factory in Ripley during the second world war, ironing uniforms. But in her free time, she liked nothing more than a spontaneous road trip with friends.

“We used to travel a lot, go to different places, which I loved,” she said. “I could drive and I’d got a car, my friends and I used to go out, spend the day out, go and have a meal somewhere, we didn’t book anywhere, we just used to say: ‘We’ll go in here and have a meal’.

“I never thought I would reach 105. I’m very pleased I have, because I don’t feel any different to when I was 100.”

Reflecting on the current state of the world, Jackson said it “could be better”. “I can’t tell [leaders] what to do or what not to do,” she said. “Sometimes I wish that I could.”

Jackson puts her long life down to being dealt a good hand with her health – but also to her love of dancing. “I’ve been very lucky with my health, and that is very important, your health,” she said. “I’ve not abused myself. I have a drink and I love a drink, but that’s it. I love ballroom dancing. I do go twice a week. I’m still dancing.

“OK, not as much as I used to, but I get up on the floor and have a bit of a twirl round, and I love it.”

Her favourite dance move, she said, was a jive. “I‘m not saying I like it as much as I used to, but your age catches up with you a little bit.”

View image in fullscreen ‘Just keep on enjoying your life, while you can,’ Jackson said. Photograph: Christopher Thomond/The Guardian

One of the things she had most been looking forward to about her party, she added, was having “a bit of a jig”. And when she came into the room after a round of media interviews, Jackson was straight up on the dancefloor.

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“We’re so thankful for everything everybody’s done for her,” said Claire Allen, the home’s activity coordinator. “Jäger have got a DJ who’s a renowned DJ, we’ve got a rapper who’s won Mobo awards.

“Honestly, I’m amazed and so thrilled. Hilda is the most deserving person to have this. All the residents here are, they’re great. Our ethos is to continue living when you come here, so we try and make every dream possible come true. So we’re just really excited.”

1:19 Care home throws 'rave' for resident's 105th birthday – video

The Nottingham-based rapper Bru-C had the residents up and dancing to drum’n’bass tunes, after his manager heard about the party on local radio and convinced him to get involved. “That was epic,” he said. “I can’t lie, I didn’t know what to expect, but it was actually really good. I enjoyed it a lot.”

Last summer, he played the main stage at Reading and Leeds festivals. In some ways, he said, Jackson’s birthday party wasn’t all that different. “A show’s a show,” he said, “and it’s like, if you’re getting a good reception, I feel the same. I think [Hilda’s] a certified drum’n’bass raver now.”

Hilda’s nephew, David Durow, 81, a retired psychologist, said when he had heard his aunt would like a rave for her birthday, he had thought: “Well, that fits in with you, with your general personality and your general love of life, the kind of things that you like to do.”

However, he said, he had not expected such a “mind-blowing” party. “It’s absolutely wonderful, isn’t it?” he said, “I mean, this is actually going to put another 10 years on everybody’s life, isn’t it?”

And what advice does Jackson herself have for younger generations? “Just keep on enjoying your life, while you can,” she said. “Don’t give up. I’m not prepared to give up.”