NSW Seniors Week runs from Saturday, March 15 to Sunday, March 23.

Mr and Mrs Gorringe who are 69 and 71 years respectively are the first couple to be announced ambassadors. There are nine other ambassadors throughout NSW.

“I feel not a day older than I was at 20,” Mrs Gorringe said. 

Many of life’s opportunities for Mrs Gorringe began at 50. 

It was in her 50s she discovered her passion for painting and she learned to drive. 

She knew a woman who lived in an aged-care home and had to learn to drive later in life because he husband died and she had no mode of transport. 

Mrs Gorringe quickly realised she may be one day in the same position. 

“I couldn’t carry my paintings around so I had to learn to drive,” she said. 

Mr Gorringe is no stranger to ambassadorship. 

Until recently he was on the executive board for the NSW Deaf Society, had been a member for 20 years and his commitment gained him life membership in the society in 2006. 

He also organises international lawn bowls competitions, has done for 47 years and is planning a trip to Ireland for the next competition. 

He quit his job in his 50s and took up a TAFE course in accounting. 

He said he was shocked to learn he and his wife were acknowledged for their learning later in life. 

When Mrs Gorringe first met Mr Gorringe, who lost his hearing as a toddler, she knew little sign language. 

Mr Gorringe joked that it was his amazing dancing five decades ago that won her over.

“She didn’t know how to spell Anthony on her fingers so she called me Tony,” he said with the assistance of Mrs Gorringe as his interpreter.

Mrs Gorringe quickly learned to sign and worked as an interpreter later in life, in courtrooms across the state. 

The couple said the secret to being happy in later life was to ensure you never let yourself become bored. 

“We love being busy.”

With seven grandchildren and one great- grandchild there is not a lot of time to sit down and do nothing for the Gorringes but they would not have it any other way.