AS the region’s 16-year-olds celebrate their GCSE results, one of the country’s oldest students says learning is the key to staying young at heart.
Ninety-two-year-old Alf Davies, of Hawarden Way, Mancot, joined hundreds of young people at Deeside College last week to collect his photography AS-level.
Speaking to the Leader about his achievement, former electrical engineer Alf said he was delighted when he opened his results envelope to reveal a C grade.
He said: “I’ve really enjoyed the course since I started, I’ve learned a lot and I’m looking forward to going back next year.”
Alf enrolled on the course a year ago to help him keep busy during his retirement.
But having been retired for more than 30 years, he’s had plenty of other pastimes.
When the march of technology made computers increasingly popular, Alf went to night classes to learn about spreadsheets, desktop publishing and word processing.
When digital cameras arrived on the scene, Alf started working with the new format, using his own computer to edit the photographs after completing a basic course in digital photography.
He said: “I have also taken upholstery, woodwork and sugarcraft courses through the years, but I have always loved taking photographs.”
The keen photographer has put his passion to good use over the years at Hawarden Golf Club, each year presenting albums to the presidents, vice-presidents and captains.
He said: “For my final project we had to take an object through a journey in photographs so I took pictures at the golf course – from when the balls are in the bucket to when they are in the hole. I really enjoyed doing that project.”
Alf is set to restart his course in September and has already started taking photographs of windows at his local church, St Deiniol’s in Hawarden.
He said: “I was laying flowers at my wife Peggy's grave and I looked up and saw the beautiful windows at the church and decided to base my next project on discovering more about its history.”
Alf has vowed to keep on working hard to complete his full A-level.
He added: “What can I do – sit in front of the telly? I can only do that for so long and always want to do something else.
“Doing something like this keeps you young.”