A GRIFFITHSTOWN woman who turned 90 celebrated her birthday by raising £400 for a Gwent-based charity at a party.

Dora Macey, of Maple Road South, asked friends and relatives to bring donations rather than gifts to a bash at Panteg Rugby Club earlier this month to raise funds for Hire a Hero.

The charity seeks to help people who have left the army make a smooth transition back into civilian life, and is based in Pontypool.

Mrs Macey, whose late husband Doug served in the Second World War and late son Christopher served in the Falklands War, has been a long-time member of the Royal British Legion, her daughter Gail Rixon said.

And Mrs Rixon said: “Instead of Mum having gifts she asked people to donate to Hire a Hero so people put in money and we had a raffle to make some extra money.”

The party was attended by Elvis Presley impersonator and Mrs Macey’s grandson Darren Graceland Jones who sang Ben E. King’s Stand By Me with his brothers.

While Mrs Rixon said she and her four children sung Sister Sledge’s We Are Family.

Donations in the raffle included a steam washer, wine and spirits and chocolates. All the money collected was given to Hire a Hero's chief executive Gerry Hill at the rugby club yesterday (Sun).

For more information on Hire a Hero, visit hireaherouk.org.