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Who are Britain's happiest people? Who are Britain's happiest people?
(about 17 hours later)
As a Londoner, I am meant to be miserable. London residents scored a lowly 7.2 out of 10 in the government's first wellbeing survey, making the capital the dourest place in the country. The happiest? Northern Ireland, grinning away with 7.6. The cheery sods.As a Londoner, I am meant to be miserable. London residents scored a lowly 7.2 out of 10 in the government's first wellbeing survey, making the capital the dourest place in the country. The happiest? Northern Ireland, grinning away with 7.6. The cheery sods.
According to this seismic piece of research, the UK's happiest person is probably a married Northern Irish woman who works part-time, is aged over 65, and has two or more children.According to this seismic piece of research, the UK's happiest person is probably a married Northern Irish woman who works part-time, is aged over 65, and has two or more children.
Does such a person exist? Not on Twitter, predictably. I put a call-out for someone who matched the description, and despite 12 retweets and 14 sardonic replies, answer came there none. Conclusion: Twitter does not make you happy.Does such a person exist? Not on Twitter, predictably. I put a call-out for someone who matched the description, and despite 12 retweets and 14 sardonic replies, answer came there none. Conclusion: Twitter does not make you happy.
Neither, it seems, does a job with one of Northern Ireland's largest firms. I call several of the region's biggest employers, but none of them have a part-time sexagenarian mum-of-two on their books. Either that, or they're very unhelpful, which in any case is probably a symptom of misery.Neither, it seems, does a job with one of Northern Ireland's largest firms. I call several of the region's biggest employers, but none of them have a part-time sexagenarian mum-of-two on their books. Either that, or they're very unhelpful, which in any case is probably a symptom of misery.
I have better luck in Carnlough, a little village halfway up the east coast. It's the home of Ethel Simpson, a married mother-of-four. She's a retired social worker who now childminds her four-year-old grandson, and volunteers for the Women's Institute. What makes her so happy? "You need to help others," says Simpson. "That's where you get satisfaction. If I can bring a smile to people's faces, I feel I've done something worthwhile in life."I have better luck in Carnlough, a little village halfway up the east coast. It's the home of Ethel Simpson, a married mother-of-four. She's a retired social worker who now childminds her four-year-old grandson, and volunteers for the Women's Institute. What makes her so happy? "You need to help others," says Simpson. "That's where you get satisfaction. If I can bring a smile to people's faces, I feel I've done something worthwhile in life."
Simpson seems pretty chirpy – but technically she is only 64. Doubt fills my mind: could I find someone older, and even happier? Quite possibly, says Simpson, who refers me to her 73-year-old friend Margery Thompson. With five children, a 54-year marriage, and part-time volunteer work for both WI and her family farm, Thompson is the perfect fit.Simpson seems pretty chirpy – but technically she is only 64. Doubt fills my mind: could I find someone older, and even happier? Quite possibly, says Simpson, who refers me to her 73-year-old friend Margery Thompson. With five children, a 54-year marriage, and part-time volunteer work for both WI and her family farm, Thompson is the perfect fit.
But is she happy? "I am contented," she deadpans, "with the life I have." She says a large family helps. "I know some single people who are very content. But having a larger family gives you more support, and makes you more likely to see things from other people's perspective."But is she happy? "I am contented," she deadpans, "with the life I have." She says a large family helps. "I know some single people who are very content. But having a larger family gives you more support, and makes you more likely to see things from other people's perspective."
Thompson's outlook has a lot to do with Northern Irish history. "We've been through a lot in the last 40 years," she says. "Over that time, we've had to care for each other a lot more. So many young people lost their lives – and for what? It makes me very thankful to have the family that I have."Thompson's outlook has a lot to do with Northern Irish history. "We've been through a lot in the last 40 years," she says. "Over that time, we've had to care for each other a lot more. So many young people lost their lives – and for what? It makes me very thankful to have the family that I have."
It's generational, too. "I was a small child during the war, so I don't remember much about it. But I know that people had a very hard time and it made them more grateful. That was put into us as children. You didn't take anything for nothing."It's generational, too. "I was a small child during the war, so I don't remember much about it. But I know that people had a very hard time and it made them more grateful. That was put into us as children. You didn't take anything for nothing."
And so ended my pursuit of happiness.And so ended my pursuit of happiness.
• This article was amended on 1 March 2012 to correct the photo caption, which said the picture portrayed County Coleraine. County Coleraine was incorporated into County Derry in 1613.