Be more like Joan from Princes Risborough!

Bucks resident Joan fills in her tenth census... after making her first appearance aged one in 1921!

Census Day comes around once every ten years, the most recent of which was Sunday 21^st March 2021.

For one Buckinghamshire woman, this year's census was the tenth census she has appeared on. Joan Loosely, 101, grew up in East Grafton, Wiltshire and appeared aged one on the 1921 census and this year completed the census at Icknield Court, Princes Risborough, which is one of the Buckinghamshire based care homes run by The Fremantle Trust.

She said, "It feels good to have completed my tenth census. It was very straight forward, I was able to fill in my answers on a paper form. I've always completed the census questionnaires; my husband was always working so it was left to me to do all the paperwork.

"I have seen the census change over the years, we don't get asked about outdoor toilets anymore and enumerators don't come to collect the forms.

"I think the census is a useful thing, it's being part of history and it's interesting for families to be able to look up what their relatives used to do."

Joan added, "I'd like to be able to look myself up in the 1921 census results next year if I get the chance."

Sara Livadeas, CEO of The Fremantle Trust who run the care home where Joan lives, said, "We're really pleased to have a number of centenarians who have completed the census this year themselves, using the paper questionnaires.

"We recognise the importance of census data as it helps us understand the demands for services, both now and in the future. We're proud to support our care homes residents to participate in this national activity as citizens. They are helping us to understand information about key demographics in the area to create targeted activity that is relevant to people, their situations and their needs.

"Our residents have found it simple to complete the census and we encourage others to complete theirs too."

Census Day may have passed but there is still time to complete the questionnaire.

The census is online-first, with all households having received a letter with a unique access code in March, allowing them to complete the questionnaire on their computers, phones or tablets. If households haven't received their letter, or have misplaced it, a new unique access code can be requested online at www.census.gov.uk.

Paper questionnaires are also available on request, along with language support via the free phone contact centre. It is also possible to complete the census over the phone with help from trained staff.

The ONS is providing in-person support to complete the census online through Census Support Centres. Field officers are also visiting some households, following social distancing and COVID-safe guidelines, to give help and encouragement to those who've not yet filled in their census form.

The census includes questions about your sex, age, work, health, education, household size and ethnicity, with options to allow everyone to identify their nationality, ethnic group and religion as they wish.

For more information and to complete the census, please visit census.gov.uk.

For more information about the Fremantle Trust please visit this external link