NEW Zealand-born Pamela Mohi recently celebrated her 85th birthday with a new tattoo to add to her slowly expanding collection.

Through BaptistCare Yallambee, where Ms Mohi is a resident, and their Make a Wish program, Ms Mohi was able to spend her special day getting tattooed.

Studio 187 tattooist, 28-year-old Kate Leslie, travelled to Yallambee last week to tattoo Ms Mohi, who was her oldest client in her tattooing career so far.

She said there was a rising trend in older people getting their first tattoos.

“We are seeing more and more clients receive their first tattoo at an age which is much older,” she said.

“We also don’t usually do mobile tattoo services as you need approvals from the appropriate local government authority but there’s certainly a demand for it.”

The ink Ms Mohi chose was a copy of her grandfather Anthony Joseph Vidal’s signature on the inside of her wrist.

Anthony Vidal was known as one of New Zealand’s earliest winemakers, starting Vidal Estate Wines in a converted racing stable in the Hawke Bay region in 1905.

The estate was family-owned until the 1970s, and although the wine label is now in different hands, Ms Mohi said descendants of the Vidal family still felt connected to it, and each bottle of wine carries the family name and Anthony’s signature.

Ms Mohi moved to Perth in 1978 and had not thought about getting a tattoo at all until three years ago when her husband Peter Mohi passed away.

“I never liked the thought of a tattoo on myself, but after Peter passed away something changed and I just went crazy getting two tattoos – an infinity family symbol and the traditional New Zealand fern,” she said.

“My newest addition matches that of my daughter Beryl who got her autograph ink in Queensland earlier this year.”

The tattoo for Ms Mohi was part of BaptistCare Yallambee’s Make a Wish program, which was started at the beginning of the year and gives residents an opportunity for wishes they write down and place in a wishing well to be granted with the help and funding of the organisation.

Yallambee Lifestyle Coordinator Annemarie Kluvers said that they are grateful for Ms Leslie for helping them grant Pamela’s wish.

“We are so excited to be able to help Pamela honour her heritage,” she said.

“It wouldn’t have been possible without Studio 187 Tattoo and the Shire of Mundaring helping to make Pamela’s wish a reality.”

BaptistCare endeavour to grant each and every one of their residents’ wishes, giving Mundaring seniors the opportunity to tick off bucket list items they may never have been able to otherwise.