New Year’s Eve is a time for extra celebration for one Whitehill couple who mark their Platinum wedding anniversary on that day.

Ann and Philip Viney, both 91, were married at St Mary’s Church, Alverstoke, on December 31, 1955.

Ann, who was born in Woolwich, moved to Bordon in 1947, from Catterick, Yorkshire, with her parents, her father being a Staff Sergeant in the REME. She went to Eggar’s Grammar school in Alton.

Philip, whose maternal and paternal families have lived in Bordon and Headley for several generations went to the Garrison schools in Bordon, living in military quarters as his father was a civilian electrician working for the Army.

Soon after moving to Bordon, Ann met Philip at the Bordon Garrison Church Youth club, held in the little green tin church in Budds Lane, now demolished.

Ann moved to Gosport in 1953 and she would travel to see Philip by bus to Portsmouth, then the ferry, a train to Liphook and bus to Bordon. When Philip made the journey he rode his bicycle to Liphook station, continuing his journey by train and ferry.

Ann and Philip began married life Passfield, moving to Farnham in August 1956 to a flat above Bucks Bakers in Downing Street, where Ann was manager.

In September 1959 they moved to a flat over the Home and Colonial supermarket in Frimley, where Philip was manager. In December 1960 they moved to the house in Whitehill where live today.

Philip’s career was spent mainly as a frozen and chilled foods logistics manager, Ann was a civil servant working both for the army in Longmoor and the RAF Institute of Aviation and Medicine at Farnborough.

In retirement, they were members of The Headley Society, and of the Bordon Woolmer Archaeological Society, Haslemere Horticultural Society, Liphook U3A and the National Trust.

The couple have one daughter.