Southend resident Kitty Stern is one the first 100-year-olds to receive a birthday card from King Charles.

Mrs Stern — a long-time member of Jewish Care’s Southend and Westcliff Jewish Community Centre — said she was “so pleased to receive the card on Shabbos by special delivery from King Charles and Queen’s Consort, signed Charles R and Camilla R”.

She had earlier enjoyed a party with family and community-centre members and volunteers.

Mrs Stern had served in the Women’s Land Army during the war — “one of my proudest lifetime achievements” — and community centre staff dressed as Land Girls for the occasion. Another birthday surprise was a visit from the Lord Lieutenant of Essex.

She remains active and is planning to travel to France to see her daughter. “When I’d turned 90, I went to visit my son in Australia.”

Jewish Care’s Emma Anderson said: “Kitty is full of life and is always keen to learn something new.

“She recently started working with clay, painting and drawing with our new art volunteer. She’s incredibly independent for a person of her age.”