Neil and Kay Bamford from Stamford celebrate diamond wedding in lockdown

Plans for afternoon tea at The George with family and friends are on hold for Neil and Kay Bamford, who had to mark 60 years of marriage in a much quieter fashion this month.

The couple, who share a great love of gardening, instead celebrated at their allotment in Stamford followed by a meal at home.

“After so many wedding anniversaries, it seems odd that when we finally reach 60 years we couldn’t have a big celebration,” said Kay, who added that they are now hoping to hold their planned get-together at The George in Stamford in September, as well as a family party at their son Chris’s home, in a village just south of Rutland.

Neil and Kay met at a carnival dance in Oundle and married three years later at St Peter’s Church in the town on May 14, 1960.

Neil worked for the Soke of Peterborough highways department and Lincolnshire County Council highways, while Kay was a primary school teaching assistant as well as bringing up their two sons, Chris, who now works in computing, and Richard, a barrister in London.

The couple have five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren, and have been keeping up with them during the coronavirus lockdown using live video calls.

With the chance to gather with friends for a meal currently off the cards, because of social distancing being in place, they have also been keeping up with the friends they know through two local supper clubs.

“We join one supper club of 12 people on a Wednesday night and another which has 10 members on Friday night,” said Kay.

“We don’t eat together over video, but we have a giggle with a glass of wine in our hands. It’s very nice!”

While they have made sure they stay in touch with lots of people during lockdown, Neil and Kay’s allotment has been a focus of the time they spend together, and as well as growing plenty of produce each year, in the past they have hosted charity fundraisers there in support of causes such as the Friends of Stamford Hospital and research into prostate cancer, and into Parkinson’s disease.

“It’s a lovely area with some grass and painted benches to sit on and a gazebo in case it rains,” added Kay. “We are visited by badgers, moles, foxes and birds, including a cuckoo at the moment, and we grow all the vegetables you can imagine!”

As well as plenty of fresh air and exercise through gardening, Kay believes the secret to their happy marriage is Neil’s jokes, ‘give and take’, and never going to bed feeling grumpy with one another.

For Neil, an added bonus is ‘Kay’s home cooking’, which he thoroughly enjoys.