To celebrate their diamond wedding anniversary, a British couple that have lived in a Paphos village for the past 30 years hosted a party on Sunday for the entire community.
John and Mavis Cooper, who first meet in their teens and are now in their 80s, said that they wanted to hold a party for the village of Amargeti as a way to say thank you to the community that welcomed them as their first ‘foreign’ residents more than three decades ago.
“We first visited here many years ago and fell in love with the village. We wanted to thank them for being so kind and helpful to us over the years, they are such beautiful people and we wanted to give something back,” John Cooper told the Cyprus Mail on Monday.
This is the second time that the couple have held such a party, the first was ten years ago for their golden wedding anniversary, he said.
The couple married in their hometown of Bolton in Lancashire in 1957 and have three children, four grandchildren and six great grandchildren, who have visited them in Cyprus over the years.
Cooper worked in civil aviation while his wife was a teacher.
Head of Amargeti community council, Androulla Demitriou, said that around 300 guests attended the party and that the popular couple are loved by the entire village.
“They are a wonderful couple and very much loved by us all. They were the first foreigners to settle here and since then, because of them, we now have about 40 expat couples,” she said.
The village only has a population of around 200 residents.
The party, which was held in the centre of the village, was a huge success said Cooper, and they profusely thanked the community leader, the caterers and other helpers for their input.
“It wouldn’t have been possible without all of the help we had, we are so grateful.”
Although the couple had given a ‘no present directive’, they were presented with a commemorative plaque and two inscribed wine glasses, which came as a wonderful surprise, said Cooper.
“We felt like the king and queen of the village, everyone was so caring and congratulating us,” Mavis added.
Music was provided by a group playing and singing traditional Cypriot music and songs.
The party started at 5pm and the couple said they were exhausted by 8.30pm and ventured home, but that the party continued after they left.
“I think everyone was enjoying themselves and particularly the dancing,” said Cooper.
