A woman older than sliced bread is in no danger of going stale because she still goes trampolining three times a week – aged 103.
Super-fit great-great grandmother Louise Smith heads off to her local gym where she does aerobics, exercise and also bounces on the trampoline.
She has rarely missed a gym session in decades and reckons her six grandchildren, ten great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren keep her feeling young.
Louise migrated from Jamaica in the 1960s and, despite having lots of ups and downs over the years, says good genetics means she’s always been able to bounce back.
Her great aunt lived to the grand old age of 114 while her dad reached a respectable 112.
The granny, born in 1912, said: “I just feel all right. I get some pains but otherwise I’m OK.
“Going to the gym has helped me to live to this age. I do exercise, aerobics, the machines, the trampolines.
“I like to do things – I don’t like to sit down.”
Louise has outlived her husband James, who died around 50 years ago, as well as her four sisters and five brothers.
The retired nurse and care home worker, from Croydon, south London, added: “My family lives for a very long time.
“We just eat good food, lots of vegetables and fruit and just don’t do anything that will harm your body.”
“I don’t smoke, I don’t drink anything strong. I take a sip every now and again but not drinking has helped me.
“I have a lot of friends and I think everybody likes me or I like everybody, I don’t know.
“I like to help people, I care for everybody.”
The devoted churchgoer believes her religion has helped her reach this milestone.
She added: “Every Sunday morning in Jamaica I would go to prayer meeting and I would come back and do half of the dinners, then go back to church and come back home to eat, then back again for night service.
“If you have God in you and if you trust him, everything will come together. I think it’s helped me reach this age.”
