A WOMAN has celebrated her 103rd birthday in style after a social media campaign encouraging people to send her a birthday card went viral. 

Hartford Care resident Barbara recently celebrated her 103rd birthday at Ashley Grange care home in Downton, surrounded by cards from around the world thanks to a special social media campaign by the care home staff.

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The campaign, launched on Facebook, reached out to people in the local community asking for birthday cards; the target was 103 to match Barbara’s birthday.

It achieved a huge response and Barbara received an incredible 366 cards in total, including many from local school children, scout and cub groups, other Hartford care homes, the parish council and churches – she even received a card all the way from Michigan, USA.

Barbara enjoyed her birthday with a tea party at Ashley Grange with her friends and family.

Barbara’s daughter, Penny, said: “I’m overwhelmed with the number of birthday cards my mother received! It’s such a wonderful thing for the team at Ashley Grange to have organised and we’re all very grateful.”

Nestled within Wiltshire’s countryside, on the edge of the New Forest, Ashley Grange offers residential and nursing care across 50 well-proportioned bedrooms.

The home has recently undergone extensive renovations and provides comfortable communal areas and large landscaped gardens with countryside views.