Devoted husband Allan Dawson is set to take to the skies tomorrow to launch a year of fundraising challenges in memory of his wife.

East Anglian Daily Times: Ann Dawson, of Rosemary Avenue, Felixstowe, who died from a brain tumour - her husband Allan is doing a year of fundraising challenges in her memory.Ann Dawson, of Rosemary Avenue, Felixstowe, who died from a brain tumour - her husband Allan is doing a year of fundraising challenges in her memory. (Image: Archant)

Mr Dawson, 65, is taking part in a skydive with a group of friends under the banner Ann’s Angels – aiming to raise as much money as possible for St Elizabeth Hospice.

His wife Ann died in August last year at the age of 59 after a two-year battle with a brain tumour on the optic nerve, just two weeks before they were due to celebrate their ruby wedding anniversary.

Mr Dawson, of Rosemary Avenue, Felixstowe, has now set himself the challenge of a year of fundraising events, which is set to include a midnight walk, a golf day, and hopes will include the chance to abseil down the Orbit Tower at the Olympic Park, Stratford.

He said: “I would also like to raise awareness of the side-effects of steroids which are often used throughout the treatments.

“In Ann’s case they caused a weight gain of two and a half stone, loss of approximately four inches in height brought on by osteoporosis with collapsed vertebra of the spine, plus the pain that this caused, water retention and swelling of her legs and feet, weakening of the joints reducing her mobility and also cataracts in both eyes.”

Mrs Dawson worked for 20 years as receptionist at the yeast factory, formerly British Fermentation Products at Felixstowe, and then following redundancy worked the following 10 years for Fairweather Stephenson, solicitors, in Hamilton Road.

Tomorrow would have been her 60th birthday and is a fitting time for her husband’s first challenge – a tandem skydive from 10,000ft above Beccles Airfield.

He said: “There will be seven of us jumping under the Ann’s Angels banner, so we are hoping to raise a reasonable sum on the day.

“Her fund already stands at £5,500, which is a great start.”

Mr Dawson, who worked for 20 years at Contship and also for other shipping and transport companies locally, is also planning to do the five-mile Hospice Midnight Walk on May 7 with at least 10 to 15 other Ann’s Angels.

He added: “I am in discussion with the hospice fundraising team about an abseil from the Orbit Tower at the Olympic Park, and will be organising a charity golf day at Felixstowe Golf Club on August 30, which is our wedding anniversary, so both events should be very poignant.”

To contribute to Ann’s tribute fund visit http://giving.stelizabethhospice.org.uk/anndawson1/