She was born during the First World War, and Molly James has shown a remarkable fighting spirit all her life.

And even now at the age of 101, the Huddersfield mum of four has an independence which belies her years, and which has seen her make a solo trip to Canada to visit her daughter when she was 98.

Molly is visually impaired and is still using the services at Better Future For The Blind in Huddersfield.

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The voluntary service helps blind or partially sighted people living in Kirklees through a number of initiatives including a coffee project on Thursdays at the Head of Steam in St George’s Square .

Molly uses all its services as she tries to be as independent as possible.

She recently attended an event organised by Volunteering Kirklees, to support Better Future For The Blind, and travelled all the way from Kirkburton on the bus by herself.

Molly was born in Birkby in 1915 and got married in 1939, setting up home at Healey Farm at Grange Moor .

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There was no gas or electricity, so they had to use oil lamps.

Eventually they moved to a council house in Lepton, which had all the ‘mod cons’ of the time, and Molly thought she was living in a ‘palace’. It was there that her four children were born.

All four children caught whooping cough, and the doctor charged a fee for each visit, which was difficult on the limited income Molly’s husband earned working as a miner at Shuttle Eye Colliery at Grange Moor.

All the children survived and have done well in their lives.

Sandra worked in a mill as a secretary, where a travelling salesman told her about opportunities in Canada.

Eventually she emigrated on the ten pounds assisted package scheme, and Molly has visited her over 20 times, the last time being three years ago, when she travelled alone at the age of 98.

Her daughter Carol was a district nurse in Kirkburton and is a “rock” to her mother.

Patricia ran the Post Office in Milnsbridge for many years, and her son Vincent worked as a painter and decorator.