Terry Holt, 99, from Stockport turns 100 years old on Christmas Eve and this year instead of asking for presents, she is asking for donations to Save the Children’s Gaza Emergency Appeal.

Terry is a WWII veteran has chosen to celebrate her 100th birthday with a mulled wine and mince pie coffee morning at her home in Stockport on Friday 22nd December, where she is hoping to raise over £1,500 to support children affected by conflict in Gaza.

Terry has been volunteering with Save the Children for 73 years. The charity was founded in 1919, four years before Terry was born, making her Save the Children’s oldest known living volunteer and supporter.

However, the current conflict in Gaza has particularly resonated with the 99-year-old due to her time spent in the Auxiliary Territorial Service (the women’s branch of the British Army) during the Second World War. In the 1940s Terry was based in the Middle East where she worked in Jerusalem, Cairo and the Suez Canal. Terry saw first-hand how difficult life was for children in the region back then. The impact the recent escalation of the conflict in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian territory conflict has had on children, has motivated Terry to continue in her fundraising efforts for Save the Children and use her milestone birthday as a reason to generate even more funds.

Children in Gaza are living through a nightmare – one that gets more distressing by the hour.

Children in Gaza and Israel have been killed, maimed, abducted and subjected to unspeakable violence. Hospitals and schools sheltering civilians have been destroyed.

The children caught up in this terrible conflict – who had nothing to do with causing it –urgently need your help.

What are Save the Children doing in Gaza?

A snapshot of their planned response includes:

- distributing more essential supplies, such as water, food, toiletries, cooking utensils, and other household essentials.

- delivering Mental Health and Psychosocial Support services for children and caregivers.

- setting up child friendly spaces so children have a safe space to play and recover.

For further information on Save the Children's response, visit their website: https://www.savethechildren.org.uk/how-you-can-help/emergencies/gaza-emergency-app