DOUBLE celebrations were in order for a Shirley couple – not only did they mark their 60th wedding anniversary but also 100 years since their family set up roots in the borough.
Ann and Malcolm Turner planted a cherry tree on a village green in Shirley to commemorate the occassions as part of the Council’s plans to plant 250,000 trees in ten years.
Ann told The Observer: “Following our 60th Wedding Anniversary in September and Shirley’s first involvement in the annual Heritage Weekend, the same month, we thought it was the right time to put our mark on Shirley.
“We now look forward, in the not too-distant future to see our Cherry tree in flower.”
Ann met Malcolm in 1958 and the pair married at St James Church, Shirley.
They has a son, Glenn, and there passion for giving back to the community began to grow with him.
When started school they joined the Parents and Teachers Association (PTA) and they signed up as leaders at Cubs when he was a member too and helped the group get their conservation badge.
In 1996 Ann and Malcolm set up a Crafts and Coffee Group, which is still running at the Shirley Institute.
Over the years with some help from Ann and Malcolm the group have made more than 100 blankets for the Teenage Cancer Unit and other good causes.
They ran Shirley Residents Association for a few year before its closure in 2011.
Ann’s dedication to the historic side of the town is seen through the three books she has written and in her family history – her grandfather, Frederick Rolan, drew up the plans for the Baptist Church after he finished building on Peterbrook Road.
