Celebrating her 100th birthday, Hilda Austin spent the day with her family and friends at Tintern. She was born in Wolverhampton in 1914 and her love of art took her to the local art college. However events took her into a career in nursing at Wolverhampton hospital where she met her second husband, the Rev. Raymond Charles Austin; her first husband, Arthur Tandy tragically died when he drowned on holiday in Wales in 1956. She came to Monmouthshire with Rev Austin, who was well known throughout Monmouthshire, running parishes, teaching classics and relieving many Welsh clergy when needed. She has always loved driving, learning as a child with several cushions and wearing her mother's hat! She won a prize as a nurse to visit a Belgium hospital in the late 30s. Her daughter Margaret Davis said: "She is well travelled, driving all over the world including exploring Europe in the winter in the early 50s driving over 3,000 miles. Her one ambition now is to drive a tank!" Her secret to a long life is to be generous and kind and loving. She now lives at Penpergwm Residential Home near Abergavenny, and has two daughters Margaret Davies and Mary Attewell, ten great grandchildren, and six grandchildren.