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Headline: Betty Bromage 90 Year Old Woman Dare Devil Challenge, Wales

Caption: Wednesday 15th May 2019 Picture Credit - Gary Lawson - CAG Photography Pictures Betty Bromage Completes Part two of her Challenge with a Zip wire across a Welsh Quarry A daredevil grandmother is celebrating her 90th birthday in spectacular style by taking on a series of adrenaline-fuelled charity challenges. At a time of life when others are content to sit back and retire gracefully, Betty Bromage is gearing up to not only complete a dizzying wing-walk hundreds of feet above the Gloucestershire countryside, but a high-octane zip line ride, and a thrilling abseil. The nonagenarian hopes her fearless exploits will help raise £10,000 to build a new summerhouse and wheelchair friendly community garden at the Abbeyfield Gloucestershire home in Cheltenham where she lives. The former nurse and mother of two sons is no stranger to danger, having already undertaken three potentially perilous sponsored wing-walks in recent years. She will kickstart her latest aerial adventures on April 9 at Rendcomb Airfield near Cirencester when she performs a succession of amazing aerobatic manoeuvres while strapped to the wing of a biplane as it soars to 1200ft. Betty will then head to Snowdonia later in the month to Europe’s longest and the world’s fastest zip line at Penrhyn Slate Quarry in Bethesda, north Wales, where she will tackle the mile long ride, reaching speeds of 100mph. Finally, the intrepid pensioner who is making it her mission to defy the stereotypes of ageing, plans to complete an abseil at an as yet undisclosed location in Manchester. The challenges Betty has set herself as she embarks on her tenth decade, would test the stamina of someone half her age. But what makes her story truly remarkable is not just that she was 87 when she decided to adopt her new go-getting lifestyle – breaking a UK record in the process – but that 20 years ago she was wheelchair bound after suffering a life changing back injury. She still uses a walker to get around after undergoing major surgery on her spine. But Betty – who moved into Abbeyfield Gloucester’s Cheltenham house five years ago - refuses to let that stop her enjoying life to the full. The sprightly grandmother of two says: “My motto is ‘wear out, don’t rust out.’ I believe life is for living. People my age are very good at saying they can’t do things. But for me age is just a number, and you shouldn’t just sit back and feel sorry for yourself. “Lots of people have suggested I should be taking life easier, but that’s rubbish. I hate people telling me I can’t do something. My reaction is always to say, ‘yes I can,’ and then I’ll go off and show them. Sometimes I will succeed and other times I won’t. But you don’t know how it’s going to turn out until you try, do you? “Too many people see retirement as the end. But it’s not, it’s a doorway leading to new openings. People my age should be doing more adventurous things.” Betty was 87 when she became Britain’s oldest female wing-walker on her inaugural flight in aid of the Midlands Air Ambulance. It was a record she held until last year when she was beaten by a 91-year-old. April 9’s flight will be her fourth sponsored charity wing-walk. So far she has raised £8,000 for causes close to her heart. But Betty hopes people will dig even deeper this time to sponsor her, as she ups the ante by taking on her latest three-way challenge to fund the new-look garden at the Cheltenham house, which is home to seven residents aged between 87 and 93. She has already raised around £1,500 and has set-up a JustGiving donation page. Betty says: “I turned 90 in March and thought it was a good excuse to do something really memorable. Given that I’ve already taken on three wing-walks and held the official record for being the oldest female wing walker in Britain, I thought I’d set the bar a bit higher by taking part in three events this year. “I’ve raised quite a bit of money over the years for the Midlands Air Ambulance, Cobalt (a local charity supporting cancer and dementia patients) and Sue Ryder, and now, after many happy years living at my Abbeyfield home, I’d like to help by raising money for the garden so my fellow and future residents can continue to gain pleasure from it.” A host of other fundraising activities are being planned by the residents, including a wine and cheese evening, dining-in nights for up to eight guests, and the annual summer and autumn fairs. Betty – whose husband Don died 14 years ago – had been looking for a challenge to celebrate her 90th birthday when she alighted on wing-walking. “I’d just moved into the Cheltenham house and thought, ‘right, what can I do when I’m 90?’ I remembered a TV advert from years ago that featured a wing-walker, so I decided that’s what I would do. Then I thought I’d better do it straight away as I might not still be around at 90!” Jan Carne, the Housekeeper at the Cheltenham house, says everyone is full of admiration for Betty. “She is remarkable. Her sense of adventure is amazing. She had originally thought she would do the wing-walk when she reached 90 and then decided ‘why wait?’ “She has been reinvigorated. She is the life and soul of our house and keeps everyone on their toes. She is always saying to me: ‘you are a long time dead, so there is no point wasting the time you have.’” Betty is already thinking of life beyond her next three madcap challenges. Top of the list is wresting back her wing-walking record. “I did write to the lady to say well done, but you’ve stolen my thunder! I’ll have to wait until I’m 92 to beat her, but it’s a good reason to keep going. “If anyone had said to me when I was 80 that I’d be doing things like wing-walking, I would have said they were talking out of the back of their head. But if I’ve got to go, I might as well do it in a blaze of glory.” Anyone who would like to donate to Betty’s fundraising efforts can do so online at www.justgiving.com/campaign/abbeyfieldsummerhouse. - Ends – Media Enquiries For more information, please contact Claire Thorburn on 07980 284 061 or email claire.thorburn@impactpr-m.co.uk Notes to Editors About Abbeyfield Abbeyfield Gloucestershire is a registered charity (number 220611) which provides housing, care, support and companionship to elderly people in the county, many of whom would otherwise experience loneliness and isolation. We are affiliated to the Abbeyfield Society, a national charity founded in 1956 (Charity number: 200719). We have three small houses where 22 residents live in friendly and supportive ‘family’ environments. We help them to be as independent as possible, encourage them to pursue hobbies and pastimes they love, and to live life to the full. https://www.abbeyfield.com/gloucestershire

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