spends a few hours every Thursday afternoon helping out at a hospital canteen. She used to work on the till at Salford Royal, but now washes up and chats to patients.
Betty of Salford, said: 'I just enjoy helping other people and being there for the company. It's what keeps me going. I've met some lovely, smashing people.' She joined the Guides because of its motto, 'Love my God, serve my Queen and country, to help other people and keep the Guide Law'.
Betty said: "I was very interested in it and I used to go camping and walking all the time.
'I was a bit of an outdoor girl when I was younger. We used to play a lot of games and practise tying knots, that kind of thing. I remember we didn't have a very good school room but we put up with it. It's a lot different nowadays - they seem to do a lot more crafts.'
The first badge Betty gained was for first aid - 'my most important' - and went on to collect about 20 more, including home help, laundry, cookery and gardening.
She progressed to being a Guide leader, where she introduced hundreds of girls to the organisation and ran annual camping trips, before eventually becoming a district commissioner. Betty, who received an MBE for charity work in 1998, is a member of the Trefoil Guild - an organisation for men and women who have been connected to Scouting and Guiding.
She said: 'We meet once a month on a Monday. Sometimes we go on trips. 'At the last meeting we had a ride down the ship canal on a boat and went for afternoon tea.'
Although Betty never married she has nephews and nieces through her twin brother Charles Lowe, who died 15 years ago. Her nephew, also Charles, 76, said: 'She can have a conversation with anyone.
'Never mind still going strong, she's stronger than me! Last Christmas she made trays and trays of mince pies.' During her lifetime Betty has seen 19 prime ministers, two world wars and five monarchs.
Source: (wateen.net)