What started out as a dare turned into 50 years of happy married life for one couple in March.
David Ford, 70, and his wife, Ronnie, 69, of St John’s Road, celebrated their golden wedding anniversary at the March Conservative Club, in Creek Road, on Saturday, September 15.
The couple actually married on September 14, 1968, after meeting in Hunstanton three years prior during the school holidays.
They had both worked at the former Kit Kat club in Seagate Road in 1965.
“We didn’t like each other when we first met,” confessed Mrs Ford. “We didn’t hit it off, we just rubbed each other the wrong way. “He was actually dared to go out with me on Christmas Eve, and we’ve been together since.”
Mrs Ford born in Docking, Norfolk, and grew up in nearby Sedgeford. After the couple got married they lived in Hounslow in West London for 25 years where Mr Ford worked at Heathrow Airport.
They later moved to Isleham before settling in March where they have remained for 22 years.
Instead of gifts for their 50th anniversary, the couple asked family and friends to donate money to their chosen charity the British Heart Foundation.
Mrs Ford said the charity were able to provide valuable support after her husband underwent five heart operations in 2014.
The couple have been raising money for the British Heart Foundation with various events with the local indoor and outdoor bowls clubs, raising more than £3,000 for the charity within two years.
More than 150 people attended their anniversary party which raised more than £750 for the charity.
Mrs Ford said: “We were very impressed and really pleased by how much was raised.
“To be honest, when you’ve been together for 50 years people have bought you things in that time and you don’t need anything else.
“The DJ was absolutely excellent, we had all the music we grew up with from our era, like Roy Orbison and Elvis, it was really good.
“We had people our age and younger ones - grandchildren, nieces, nephews - and we had 77 cards altogether.
“We had such wonderful support and we can’t thank our friends and family enough.”
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