Recently, Mr Buster Martin had a birthday. He went to work as normal, and his colleagues at work organised a party for him. There was a birthday cake, and candles, and everyone sang “Happy Birthday to you”. It was a special occasion. Buster Martin was 100 years old. He is the oldest person still in employment in Britain. He works for a company in south London. He cleans their vans for them for 20 hours each week. In fact, he started working for the company only three years ago, when he was 97. He applied for the job because he was getting bored at home. If you dont keep moving, he says, your joints seize up and you end up in a wheelchair.
Buster Martin has had a remarkable life. He was born in France, but was brought up in an orphanage in Cornwall in south-west England. Then he came to London to work in the markets. For thirty-five years he served in the armed forces – the army and the navy – mainly as a physical education instructor. He says that he has never had a day off work through illness. His wife died many years ago, but he has 17 children, and has lost count of his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He thinks there are about 70 of them. They come to see me when they want money, he jokes.
Recently he was attacked by muggers as he was leaving a pub. They knocked him to the ground, but he got up again and kicked one of them hard in …well, somewhere where it really hurts. His attackers ran away. Buster had scratches and bruises from the attack and was taken to hospital. He walked out of the hospital next day and went to work. So how does Buster Martin manage it? How does he stay so fit and active? He says that he does press-ups every morning and drinks several pints of beer every evening. I am not sure about the press-ups but the beer sounds like a good idea.