Childhood friends can sometimes drift, it is a part of life, but that is what makes the story of two 80-year-olds reuniting after decades apart all the more special.
Irene Gresty and Janet Henderson, used to live next door to one another when growing up in Linlithgow. Sadly the pair lost touch when Irene had to leave the area after her husband was deployed by the Navy.
But chance would have them reunited 60 years later when the pair moved into separate Bield developments in Linlithgow over the last three years. Despite the pair living just minutes apart, their paths did not cross immediately.
READ MORE: Met Office gives 'Beast from the East' verdict amid Edinburgh white Christmas predictions
It was an event organised by Bield, that got residents to focus on the use of technology to live more independently, which helped to reintroduce the long lost friends.
Irene, who lived in a variety of exotic countries, including Singapore, before returning to Linlithgow to reside at Brae Court, said: “I moved back six years ago as my family still live here. I loved the area growing up so wanted to settle down to enjoy retirement.
“From speaking to people I’d known in the past, I found out Janet still lived in the area but our paths hadn’t crossed.
“We were joined at the hip growing up as we were neighbours and also went to school together, we have many fond memories of sticking up for each other and playing in the park.
“I just couldn’t believe my luck, after all these years we just bumped into each other! My heart skipped a beat.”
The dynamic duo have since vowed to never let as much time go by before catching up with one another. They spent the full afternoon sharing memories during the technology session - which was a very different environment where they spent their youths in the 1960s.
Janet, who resides at West Port, said: “At Bield, you’re always doing different activities and bumping into people you haven’t seen in a while, but I couldn’t believe I got to reconnect with someone I knew so long ago.
“People often move away from the area, and you lose contact, it’s the way life goes.
“We both got married and now have different surnames. I hadn’t thought anything of it when someone told me Irene had moved back to the area as I didn’t recognise the name – so when I saw her at the event it was pretty surreal.
“We exchanged numbers so I’m really looking forward to meeting up in the future, we have many years to catch up on.”
Tracey Howatt, Director of Customer Experience at Bield, said: “We often have friends reuniting after not seeing each other for a long period of time, but I don’t think we have ever had anything like this before.
“It’s lovely for the two ladies to reunite and it just shows, you never know when you’ll bump into an old friend again.”
To find out more about Bield, visit their website here.
READ NEXT -
Edinburgh pensioners roll back the years with archery lessons at care home
Royal Mint's rarest 50p coins worth hundreds as people urged to check loose change
Edinburgh Christmas Market: How much it costs for a family of four on a day out
Mike Tindall shuts down I'm a Celeb 'glamour' rumours during behind the scenes video
Terminally ill Scottish patients 'dying in pain' due to lack of out-of-hours care
