Retired Bury detective and dinner lady celebrate diamond wedding anniversary

A retired Bury police sergeant and his wife celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary on Thursday 2 April with a party for tenants at the Red Bank Extra Care Scheme in Radcliffe.

George and Jean Holt, both aged 82, married 60 years ago after meeting in 1951 at a dance in Preston. George joined the Lancashire Constabulary in 1953, before moving to Bury in the mid-1950s. Here he served as Detective Sergeant between 1963 and 1974. Jean worked as a school dinner lady at Summerseat Primary School. They have four children; Yvonne, Aileen, Steven and Gillian.

The couple share a love of travel and have driven a motor-home across Europe, exploring countries such as France, Belgium, Spain and Portugal.

In retirement, George and Jean moved to Keswick in Cumbria to run a guesthouse but moved back to Bury to be closer to family. They moved into Red Bank in 2013.

George said: "We were born exactly one day apart from each other and have barely been apart since we were 18.

"We have many fond memories of our time living together in Bury, from first moving here in the 1950s up to present day living at Red Bank. It’s like one big family here, which is why we wanted to throw a party for all tenants with a buffet and singer to celebrate. We are also having a separate party just with our family, of whom we are all proud. It’s such a celebration."

The Red Bank site consists of 40 apartments, a hairdresser's and bistro. It was developed in 2012 by Six Town Housing and Bury Council, who have just announced that a similar Extra Care Scheme will be developed at the William Kemp Heaton site in Bury next year.

ENDS

Issued: 7 April 2015.

Photo: George and Jean Holt at their party with staff and friends at Red Bank.

Note to editors:

Six Town Housing is an arms length management organisation (ALMO) set up in April 2005 to manage Bury Council's housing stock and a range of other assets, including garages, shops and a number of community facilities.

We provide a wide range of services to our customers, directly and through service level agreements, contracts and partnerships.

Media Contact for Six Town Housing: Steve Whiley, Communications and Marketing Advisor; 0161 686 8000 s.whiley@sixtownhousing