While Clive was an experienced indoor bowls player, Marian was the lawn bowls novice who needed lessons.

"I had never played indoor bowls before, but Clive was a coach and a referee, so he was a very skilled player. He was teaching me," Marian recalls fondly. Thanks to Clive's guidance, Marian's skills on the green improved significantly. "I don’t mean to boast, but I’m much better at bowls now thanks to Clive."

The bond between them grew stronger, partly due to their shared interest in bowls but also it’s been their love of long-distance walking.

Marian describes Clive as having both a romantic side and a very straightforward charm.

Marian remembers, "We were sitting there having our first coffee date together and suddenly he says ‘there’ll be no overseas trips!’ Well, he was getting down to the basics straight away and I quite liked that about him."

The couple both originally hailed from the West Coast and also both shared the same faith which is important to them. While it was a second marriage for both, their wedding ended up being a complete surprise to invited guests who thought they were there to celebrate Marian’s 80th birthday.

After Clive followed Marian into Oakwoods retirement community years ago, circumstances have changed slightly for the couple. Clive is now residing in the Oakwoods care centre, while Marian still lives in her villa adjacent - so they can both participate in village activities. "The great bonus is having him live so close so I can visit him easily," she says.

When asked about the secret to a good marriage, Clive says the words ‘yes dear’ have helped him, while Marian says it’s been about ‘tolerance’. It might also have something to do with a good game of indoor bowls regularly too.