WHAT is the secret to a long and happy marriage? Couples at a Kidderminster day care centre have been tackling the question.

To mark this year’s Valentine’s Day Friends of the Elderly’s Kidderminster Day Care in Worcestershire, which offers person-centred day care for people living with dementia, have been sharing their thoughts and memories about what they believe makes a strong marriage.

Dave and Wendy Gwilliam have been married for 40 years and will be celebrating their landmark Ruby Wedding Anniversary this April. Married in 1983, their first date was to a Corporals’ Mess Christmas function. Wendy, aged 59, said: “Dave was a bit tipsy, but I thought he looked rather dashing in his soldier’s uniform.”

The couple tied the knot at St. George’s Church in Chatham, Kent and honeymooned in Towyn, South Wales 18 months after their big day. “Our Wedding Day was wonderful,” Dave said, “We had a few funny moments though. Our Vicar turned up with muddy shoes – you couldn’t miss them - they were quite a state – and Wendy’s Mum had a few too many tipples. I think that might have been my doing as I had a broken arm so my measures were rather large,” he added.

Dave, aged 60, was a Soldier in the Army for 16 years, before turning his talents to engineering and Wendy was a Data Processor before deciding upon career change to becoming a nurse and care assistant. “We’ve always taken the time to listen to each other and made compromises without any judgement. I suspect that’s one of the keys to our long and happy marriage,” Wendy said. “We share a lot of the same interests too, so we’ve got lots in common, such as our love of walking and music. We used to go to lots of concerts and spend time around the Lake District and Snowdonia. It’s beautiful there,” she added.

“We also keep each other laughing. We used to play practical jokes on each other, but nowadays it’s more along the lines of sarcastic jokes, but it makes us giggle.

“The best advice I was given about married life was from my Mother, she told me to make sure to talk each other, which we do – all the time. So, if I could pass on any advice to a younger couple getting married today, I’d say the same and also add to compromise and not to hold any grudges.”

Clive and Jean Taylor are another happily married couple who are also clients at Kidderminster Day Care. Tying the knot in 1961, Clive and Jean have been married for 62 years this April and still love being together every day. The couple share a joint enjoyment of gardening and love growing beautiful flowers together. “I think it must stem – no pun intended – from Clive’s career working in the farming industry,” Jean said. “I was an office worker, so pottering around in the garden was a nice change from sitting at my desk all day. Gardening and growing flowers was a lovely joint pastime that grew and bloomed into a real passion.”

Clive, aged 83, and Jean, aged 82, say the secret to their long and happy marriage is that they really wanted to be married to each other - “and still do,” added Clive.

“We are best friends and soulmates and just love being together,” added Jean.