VIDEO: Centenarian graces magazine cover aged 100

A centenarian has graced the cover of a magazine at the grand old age of 100.

Salfordian Irene Radcliffe is the cover girl for latest edition of Limelight – ourannual customer magazine, which is delivered to 8,000 homes in Salford.

Irene, who lives at Nine Acre Court in Ordsall, turned 100 on August 19, 2019 – just a few weeks after the 100-year anniversary of the Addison Act – which marked the start of the council housing system.

Irene has spent her whole life living in social housing in Salford and shared her story with Salix Homes to mark the centenary.

Lee Sugden, chief executive at Salix Homes, said: “Irene is our oldest tenant at Nine Acre Court and remarkably she turned 100 at the same time social housing marked its 100th anniversary.

“She’s spent her whole life living in social housing in Salford and has some wonderful memories and a great tale to tell, so we are privileged to share her story in our customer magazine Limelight, which aims to shine a spotlight on the real people of Salford.

“Irene is a great character and very well loved by her friends and neighbours, so she was the natural choice to be our cover girl and to help us launch our latest edition of the magazine, and we hope she will treasure this experience.”

To celebrate her inaugural modelling job, Irene was given a VIP tour of the print and production centre in Leeds where the magazine is designed and printed. She was able to press the button on the printing press to send the magazine to print and watched as her cover came off the press.

She said: “I’d never have thought in a million years that I’d be a cover girl at my age, but it’s been a wonderful experience.

“It was marvellous to see how the magazine is made and really interesting to see it all come together – I didn’t realise there was so much to it.”

Irene’s cover shot was taken at her recent 100th birthday party organised by her nephew Peter Butters and the residents at Nine Acre Court, which was also attended by the Ceremonial Mayor of Salford Charlie McIntyre.

Irene joked: “I’d never done any modelling before, but I’d like to be on the cover of Vogue next.”

Born Irene Butters on 19 August 1919, she is the youngest of 10 children and grew up with her siblings and parents Mary-Anne and James Butters in a terraced house on Robert Hall Street in Ordsall.

During the 1970s, she moved with her older sister May to a brand-new tower block in Ordsall – Sunnyside Court, before moving to her current home at Nine Acre Court in 1990 where she plans to live out her years.

She said: “I’ve spent most of my life living in a tower block now. We were on a lower floor and when we first moved in I was a bit frightened thinking of all those flats on top of me, but you soon get used to it.

“I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else now. I love living here, I know everyone, and my flat has a great view of the park. That park is my life – I watch the children playing and the football matches – why would I want to move at my time of life.”

And Irene, who still has a twinkle in her eye, has shared the secret to a long life.

“I’ve never smoked or gone out with boys, though I am on the look-out for a toy boy,” she joked.

“I enjoy the odd Guinness or a gin and tonic. I’ve had a good life and I’ve always looked after myself and my appearance – and I think that’s the secret.”

Read Irene’s story in the latest edition of Limelight magazine and watch ourvideo of her visit to the print and production centre.