A FARMER passionate about supporting his community has enjoyed two parties to mark his 100th birthday.

Francis William Kay, known as Frank, from Sessay, near Thirsk, was born on July 29, 1919 at Hutton Sessay, nine months after the end of the First World War, and from the age of 14 worked on the family crop and animal farm.

When the Second World War broke out, Mr Kay applied to join the army but was kept out because farming was a reserved occupation – so he became a founding member of the Sessay Home Guard.

During the war, he met Mary Randall who was evacuated from Gateshead and took employment as a teacher at Sessay school. She met Frank and they were married in 1944, going on to celebrate over 60 years of marriage, sadly Mary died in 2011. They had two children, Maureen and David.

After the war, the family acquired a tractor for the farm as part of the Lease Lend deal with the USA. The farm later acquired a combine harvester but not before Frank’s father died at the age of 69 so the farm passed to Frank. The farm specialised in broiler chickens and then Yorkshire Turkeys.

In the late 1960’s, production on the farm swung round to fruit production eventually becoming one of the first farms in North Yorkshire to introduce Pick Your Own fruit which proved successful.

Eventually the farm had to diversify in to the area of pleasure fishing and now operates as ‘The Oaks Lakes Fishing Complex’ as well as the recently added ‘Oaks Lakes Caravan Park.’ Franks son David is semi retired and Frank’s grandson Thomas has taken over the reins.

Frank was a leading light at St. Cuthbert’s Church in Sessay, being a church Warden for 40 years. He was active in the village cricket and football teams and was a founder member of the Sessay Village Hall and the Sessay Bowls Club.

In 2015, Frank was a proud recipient of the Award of the Freedom of the Parish presented by the Sessay and Hutton Sessay Parish Council.

Frank has two children, four grandchildren and eight great grandchildren.

Grandson Sam, his partner Louise and their two children, Lucy, 15, and Jessica, 12, flew back over 10,500 miles from Brisbane Australia to join in the celebrations.

He is a lifelong supporter of Middlesbrough Football Club and Yorkshire Cricket Club.