Harrogate’s White Watch delivered war veteran Jack Rushton a surprise roast lunch and birthday cake today to celebrate his 96th birthday. John Rushton, known as Jack, survived the D Day landings and has lived in Beech Road in Harrogate since the 1970’s.

Last Sunday, White Watch made 50 roast lunches for people in need .,  much of the food then was supplied by Bruce Reid, the watch manager.

Today Bruce and his team made 89 meals and, this time, a whole of host of organisations donated food. Community group, Covid- Cooperation Harrogate, helped with deliveries.  Jack though was an exception, Bruce said:

“We haven’t done any deliveries- but we thought we’d bring Jack his lunch as it would be a nice gesture”.

Bruce Reid, watch manager delivering Jack his lunch

Neighbours clapped and Happy Birthday played through a tannoy as Jack received his birthday surprise. Jack said he didn’t what his neighbours had plotted for him but he had a suspicion  “it had something to do with lunch”. He told The Stray Ferret..

“I can’t believe they’ve done this for me- I’ve not done anything special”

But his grandson, Ben Rushton, begged to differ and said he was proud of him.

“What people don’t realise is that as well as being being a war veteran, my grandfather worked in public service all his life – in the finance department at Harrogate College. He’s contributed to the youth of Harrogate – it’s nice for him to get something back”

Asked what felt about being 96 years old Jack said  “Well, I’ve had a reasonable carry on….”

Firefighters from Harrogate’s White Watch have cooked more than 50 Sunday roasts for local people. Bruce Reid, the watch manager, told The Stray Ferret that he decided to get cooking when he realised he’d be working both this Sunday and next Sunday.

Bruce said he arrived for work early this morning with an idea of how many meals he could cook but it snowballed..

“I got into work at 8am this morning with an idea that I’d cook around 28 meals but then the whole thing grew and by the time we’d finished we had produced 52. I’d like to thank Susie Little from Covid-Cooperation Harrogate for getting in touch and offering to help with deliveries – we’d have been pulling our hair out without her help”

From the left: Andrew Spence, Dave Spenceley, Mat Clough, Val Granger and Bruce Reid

Lunch was the full monty — roast beef, yorkshire puds, roast potatoes, carrots, broccoli, parsnips and cabbage. The lunches were donated to people in need who fitted a set criteria- either medically or financially.

Bookers donated one joint of beef – the rest was paid for my Mr Reid himself.