Itching to tick off her bucket list 74-year-old Sue Hayes will be taking part in the Colchester & Ipswich Hospitals Charity’s abseil down Colchester Town Hall.
Mrs Hayes recently became a public governor for East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust and was keen to use this opportunity, along with many other willing abseiling participants, to raise money for the Breast Care Blossom Appeal at Ipswich Hospital and the Cancer Centre at Colchester Hospital.
She will be abseiling the 66ft down the iconic Colchester Town Hall tomorrow, Saturday, September 1, after raising over £800 for the two hospital charities.
She said: “I know a lot of people and because this is for charity I don’t mind asking for money, people have been so generous and the money has poured in.
“I know so many people who have cancer and so many people close to me who have died from cancer so it’s certainly a worthwhile cause.”
Whilst many other people choose to take part in a bake sale or do a sponsored walk, Sue decided taking on a more adventurous challenge would enable her to tick off another entry from her bucket-list.
Sue said: “I’ve wanted to abseil for ages, probably more than 30 years, I’ve always put it off when I’ve had the chance but now that it has come up I’ve got to go for it.”
She continued: “By no means am I a fan of danger, but about 12 years ago when I was in New Zealand I just decided to have a go at all these different things like paragliding, going on a jet-powered boat and horse riding.
“I felt so proud of myself and I knew that I had a few things I needed to do before I became too old to do them, I’ve still got a few places around the world I would love to see.”
Sue hopes the abseil will also help promote our often bemoaned health service, something she is extremely passionate about.
She said: “We take the NHS for granted because we have been brought up with it, most of us have known no different.
“We moan about waiting times and this and that but we have this amazing NHS there and we don’t know much about it so in my new role I’m hoping to find out much more and to educate people.”
You can still sponsor Sue by visiting her Just Giving page.
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