It is the age most people are thinking about retiring and taking it easy but one north Norfolk pensioner is planning to mark her 65th birthday in style by trekking along the Great Wall of China.
It is the age most people are thinking about retiring and taking it easy but one north Norfolk pensioner is planning to mark her 65th birthday in style by trekking along the Great Wall of China.
Sheringham resident Jane Holmes, who returned to her native county five years ago, is taking part in a six-day trek along The Great Wall of China in September to raise much needed funding for The St Clare Hospice in Harlow, Essex which gives support to terminally ill patients and their families.
Mrs Holmes, who worked with Barclays Bank for 29 years before retiring five years ago, is aiming to raise a minimum of �2,750 with the trek and she has already started receiving donations from friends and family.
The money raised will be matched pound for pound, up to �750, as part of the Barclays Community Investment, charity begins at work, programme.
Mrs Holmes, who will be the most senior member of the 30 strong Trekking Challenge party, is currently starting a lengthy training schedule, including working out with the support of leisure centre, Sheringham Splash, to ensure that she is in the best physical condition for the trek.
She said: 'This is my way of celebrating my 65th birthday at the same time enabling me to fulfil a long held ambition to undertake a project which will do some real good for the hospice.'
She and her husband Mike, 64, who met while they were both working for Barclays, are arranging several fund-raising events, the first of which is a barn dance next month for which all tickets have already been sold.
Jeannie Marsh, community co-ordinator for Barclays, of said: 'At Barclays we strive to strengthen local communities in which we live and work by supporting a range of causes from local schools to centres for older people.
'This is a fantastic example of Barclays staff fundraising with the local community to achieve something which we hope will make a real and lasting difference.'
Anyone wishing to know more about Jane's Appeal and to donate direct on-line can do so by visiting
www.justgiving.com/MJaneHolmes
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