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Lil Holt

90 year old Lil Holt was one of the first to move into St Saviour’s Court, transferring from St Saviour’s accommodation in South Norwood (now demolished). She declares her flat gorgeous and like many other Collegians it is the social life at St Saviour’s that Lil really enjoys.

Leaning forward in her chair Lil talks enthusiastically about Saturday nights at St Saviour’s when, ‘we have a drink and a sing-song – all the old numbers – we’ve got one disc with Knees up Mother Brown and all those on it. I take down my can of Guinness to the [communal] lounge and it’s a good night!’ For Christmas she says that all members of the Collegians-run social club have clubbed together to go for a special lunch at the local pub.

Says Lil, ‘There are very good people living here. If anyone’s going out to the shops they’ll always ask if you need something.’

Having worked as a waitress at the Shell building for more than 20 years up until she retired, Lil is not used to be waited on and still does as much as she can for herself, including all her own cooking. She says, ‘My son fetches up my shopping once a week and I have a cleaner on Friday but other than that I manage on my own.’

Lil’s neighbour at St Saviour’s Court is her long-standing friend Lou, who lived close by in Trinity Church Square, even before both first came to live in St Saviour’s accommodation more than 20 years ago.

Says Lil, ‘Me and my mate are together every day. We go down to the lounge and chat and watch the world go by. I’m a home girl and I love it here. I’ll have a week or two away but no more, then I want to come back to my gorgeous flat.’