Wendy Richmond, 80, is no ordinary granny.
Far from the TV and slippers, Wendy prefers to spend her time proving that age is not barrier.
To celebrate her 80th birthday Wendy carried out a zip-wire descent among the snowy mountains of South Wales, raising funds for The Acorn Cancer Support Group .
This zip-line challenge was a birthday present from Wendy’s family, who have gotten very used to her thrill seeking birthday requests.
In recent years Wendy has been wing-walking, parachuting, outdoor and indoor ballooning and zip-lining. Each time she has been raising funds for charities that are close to her heart.
“I’ve always been interested in planes. I saw a film a long time ago about wing walking and I remember thinking “I want to do that” but I never ever thought I’d be able to do it. Then, my family bought me this as a present for my 70th – They know what I like!”
“I loved wing-walking – it’s the freedom – it was as if I had the will to fly. You couldn’t see the plane as you were standing on the wing. It was just an amazing feeling! It’s absolutely out of this world, more than I ever expected it to be.”
Acorn Cancer Support Group, a small charity in St. Ives, has made a big difference to Wendy’s life. Wendy sees this as a great way of giving back:
“I had breast cancer 7 years ago. A friend of my sons persuaded me to go. You don’t talk about cancer unless you want to. They take us out for meals and trips down the river – it’s just a beautiful place to go. So relaxing – I love it”.
Wendy says that her family are “very proud” of her for her age-defying escapades. Infact, the adventurous gene seems to have been passed down. Wendy’s son, Karn, was happy to take up the challenge when Wendy was too ill to complete the higher zip-wire in Wales. Morever, Wendy’s grandchild is currently planning to walk over the 02 in London!
“Well, I’m 80 now… but If I see a challenge I like, and I think I can do it, then maybe I will!”
To donate to Wendy please go HERE, and to find out more about Acorn Cancer Support Group HERE
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