Britain’s oldest worker has no plans to stop working any time soon after a day of retirement has driven him crazy.
Ivor Ward, 98, from Rothley, Leicestershire, tried to retire when he was 79, but one day he was “so bored” he started looking for work and landed a new role at East Midlands Pharma, near his home in Leicestershire.
He now works four days a week as a production operative for EM Pharma and says doing his job is “like being at home with family.”
Ivor’s role has also opened up his social life, and the 98-year-old now enjoys partying at weekends with his younger colleagues, where they “drink, dance and create mayhem”.
Ivor said: “I had a retirement day and it drove me crazy so I went back to work almost straight away.”
Britain’s oldest worker, 98-year-old Ivor Ward, only lasted one day in retirement before landing a job as a production operative for EM Pharma in Rothley.
The pensioner celebrated his 98th birthday last month and celebrated it with his colleagues.
The 98-year-old went on to explain that “sitting at home all day” can be “deadly.”
He continued: ‘Many older people who only receive their pensions have a hobby.
‘For those who are alone, it is the biggest cause of death. I know a lot of people who end up sitting at home all day.
“So that’s deadly because you end up getting up at 10 in the morning and sitting around all day in your pajamas.”
Ivor began his Army career as a Royal Engineer in 1943, before rising to the rank of Corporal.
‘Now on weekends we have parties with the younger ones. We drink, dance and create chaos. I play poker and take a quiz.
“It’s like being at home with family when I’m working.”
Despite only working four days a week, Ivor still works 32 hours a week, starting at 7am Monday to Friday. But he insists that his days pass at lightning speed.
He continued: ”Now I do four days a week. I make longer days on all four days. I work from 7 am to 3 pm Monday to Thursday.
‘The day passes like a flash. It usually keeps your mind busy and active.”
Ivor, who has four great-great-grandchildren, began his army career as a Royal Engineer in 1943.
He rose to the rank of first corporal before leaving the army at the end of the war and taking a job as a civil engineer.
Ivor then moved to another company as an operations manager, before trying his luck as a professional poker player.
“I worked practically non-stop until I was 79,” adds the 98-year-old.
Ivor said the day flies by when he works. He starts his shift at 7 am and works 32 hours a week from Monday to Thursday.
Ivor’s social life has been booming since he took over, enjoying parties with his younger colleagues at weekends.
The production operator says his workday keeps his mind busy and active during his four-day work week.
Ivor starts his day at EM Pharma at 7am and works a full eight hours Monday to Thursday.
“Then the company where I was COO was sold and that was it.”
However, after working virtually non-stop for his entire adult life, Ivor plans to take a year off when he turns 100.
After the milestone birthday, Ivor plans to travel around the world playing poker.
He said: ‘I’m happy here. In two years, when I’m 100, I’ll have a gap year. Then I’ll come back.
‘I have been playing all over the world, so I would like to visit the popular casinos again.
‘He will end up poor or he will end up rich.’ Either way seems fine to me.
But for now, the cheerful retiree, who has lived alone for 30 years since his wife Joyce died aged 63, is happy to continue his working week.
He continued: ‘It’s great, in a way, coming to work is like coming home. I know everyone here. I know the families, there is always someone to talk to.
‘The only alternative is to sit, during the day there is no one. It’s like purgatory.
‘It’s a pleasure to come to work, otherwise I would be at home sitting alone doing nothing, aging quickly. Here we laugh.’