Charity runner, 86, still loving her hospice fundraising mission
For this weekend's race along Middlewood Way, near Poynton in Cheshire, Barbara was joined by 22 friends and family members, including her nephew and late sister Audrey Humphreys' son.Barbara said: "My mission is to raise money for St Ann's Hospice so other families can receive the care that we got with my sister."She said the hospice provided her sister, who died in 1988 aged 56, and their family with "phenomenal" care.She told BBC Radio Manchester: "It's a wonderful cause and I'm prepared to do whatever I can to help them raise money."They really do the very, very best for someone who is at the end of life, and their family."
'An inspiration'
The retired college lecturer agreed to appear in an Adidas TV advert in 2023 after the sportswear firm agreed to make a "significant" donation to St Ann's Hospice. Barbara said she ran in all weathers apart from snow and ice.Races are a great way to bring her family together, she said."We have a pre-run family dinner the night before and then all get together on the day running and supporting each other," Barbara explained.Anne-Marie Wynne, head of fundraising at St Ann's Hospice, said: "Barbara is an incredible supporter and an inspiration to all of us."Without people like Barbara we simply couldn't continue to run our services."
Listen to the best of BBC Radio Manchester on Sounds and follow BBC Manchester on Facebook, X, and Instagram and watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Glasgow Times
a day ago
- Glasgow Times
Glasgow Vegan Festival returns with 60+ stalls in October
The Glasgow Vegan Festival is set to take place on October 18 at the Easterhouse Sports Centre. It will run from 10.30am to 4.30pm. The event, organised by Vegan Events UK, will be a paradise for those interested in plant-based or vegan lifestyles. Read more: What 'sources' close to Man Utd player are saying about Celtic transfer links Victoria Bryceson, festival organiser and founder of Vegan Events UK, said: "Since 2017, we've been bringing the best of vegan living to communities across the UK. "Our festivals offer a one-stop destination where you can discover amazing plant-based products, support small family-run businesses specialising in ethical and sustainable vegan products, from vegan food and delicious cakes to sustainable fashion and animal welfare charities. "Join us at Glasgow Vegan Festival, explore the vibrant world of compassionate living and see just how delicious, accessible, and varied vegan living can be." Standard entry to the festival is priced at £5, with free entry for under 16's. For those looking for a premium experience, VIP tickets are available for £15, offering fast-track entry and a goody bag full of vegan products, samples, discounts, and offers. Advance festival tickets are available from Standard tickets are also available at the door. The festival, sponsored by a plant-based fermented foods and drinks business, Gut Punch, will offer a range of experiences. Visitors can taste vegan cuisine, explore sustainable lifestyle brands, shop cruelty-free beauty products, and listen to expert talks on vegan lifestyle and nutrition. The lineup of local stallholders includes Lush Braehead Glasgow, Heriot Hott, and Edinburgh-based Considerit. In addition, the festival will feature talks and workshops on topics such as introduction to transmission meditation, increasing your child's health span, and a session on Muay Thai with Benny Green.
The Guardian
a day ago
- The Guardian
‘New Zidane' to Amorim outcast: Kobbie Mainoo at career crossroads
Remember Kobbie Mainoo? The lad from Stockport heralded as Manchester United's new midfield general? A player likened at 19 to Zinedine Zidane by Paul Scholes and whose 2024 FA Cup final winner toppled the noisy neighbours from across town when he ghosted into Manchester City's area before a silky smooth touch and finish past Ederson? Now, at a club of serial false dawns and zero title challenges since Sir Alex Ferguson retired 12 years ago, Mainoo is at a career crossroads. As Ruben Amorim becomes the latest manager to try to build United a shiny new world, Mainoo is a mere substitute. The Portuguese has no place for him in his 3-4-3 formation after a damning assessment that Mainoo lacks legs for the engine room or the pace to operate as one of the two 10s. Rewind to the August after Mainoo's Cup final goal and his emergence as England's star turn at the summer's European Championship and reading Scholes' take on him is quasi-surreal. 'He's the nearest thing I've seen to Zidane in taking a ball, receiving the ball, cruising past people,' gushed a man considered the pre-eminent schemer of Ferguson's gilded reign. 'The first time I saw him I remember that calmness. The way he received the ball with confidence; I just couldn't believe such a young player could do that.' Confidence and calmness seem the ideal blend for the footballer asked to patrol the relentless midfield traffic of the elite game where matches are decided. Not for Amorim. Well, not Mainoo's version. And so, as the close of the market loomed, the head coach pursued Brighton's Carlos Baleba to fill a hole caused by his lack of faith in Mainoo. 'We have a lack of pace, especially in the middle of the park and you can feel it is hard to win and bring the ball,' was Amorim's searing verdict after a tepid goalless draw with Leeds in Stockholm on 19 July. Mainoo, a half-time change in Sweden's capital for Bruno Fernandes, again failed to convince the boss. So we saw Amorim's courting of Baleba, for whom Brighton's asking price of about £100m for a still raw 21-year-old has prompted United to cool their interest. On FridayYesterday Fabian Hürzeler signalled that the Cameroonian would not be moving. 'Very, very, very confident,' Brighton's head coach said of his feelings on whether Baleba would stay. 'I didn't see any change in him. He only changed his hair; that was the only change he made in the last two weeks. Overall, he seems to be in a really good place. He's enjoying it with his teammates. He's enjoying being a Brighton player. He's very grateful to have the progress he made in the last season.' Amorim may turn to alternative options including his former Sporting captain Morten Hjulmand. But the strategy of his first summer window in charge has been questionable. To land two No 10s, a No 9, and no 'pace in midfield' as Amorim tries to revamp United screams of lopsided thinking before Arsenal's arrival for Sunday's curtain-raiser. Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo are the new playmakers, and Benjamin Sesko the centre-forward. Yet how the centre of the Portuguese's team fares against title-contending visitors will provide a barometer of how crucial the market's closing days are for the Amorim-Jim Ratcliffe project. To splurge £62.5m on prising Cunha from Wolves, £71m on Mbeumo from Brentford and £73.7m on Sesko from RB Leipzig for a total £207.2m outlay but still leave the heart of the side lacking as 1 September nears seems portentous. Amorim, his director of football, Jason Wilcox, the chief executive, Omar Berrada, and their boss, Ratcliffe, may hide behind the horse-trading that can be chasing players' signatures. But all rivals face the same wheeling-dealing challenge, and not all have the financial muscle that can help lure recruits with lucrative salaries as United do. More damning is how midfield has been a glaring issue for a relative age. Basically since last Christmas when Amorim decided Mainoo was not able to hustle up and down the pitch; an intriguing assessment for a then teenager previously etched on to the team sheet under Erik ten Hag and who started England's Euro 2024 final defeat by Spain. Last term two separate muscle injuries ruled Mainoo out for 83 days. The first, from 17 October to 11 November, came in the period when Amorim was appointed to replace Ten Hag; the second (10 February-7 April) came with Mainoo an established bench-warmer. Mainoo then had to watch an ageing and paceless Casemiro line up ahead of him in May's 1-0 Europa League final defeat by Tottenham, the latest of the stark notices from Amorim that began when he tried rejigging Mainoo's position over the winter. January's 2-0 Europa League group game win at FCSB featured him as one of the 10s (alongside Christian Eriksen). Mainoo scored but the following week at Crystal Palace he was moved to a false 9 berth. United lost 2-0 and Amorim hooked him after 70 minutes for Rasmus Højlund. Five days later, back as a 10 for the 2-1 Cup victory over Leicester, he lasted 64 minutes. Next came the second injury, new contract talks stalling (Mainoo wants his £52,000-a-week terms upped to about £180,000, whereas United's offer is nearer £100,000), the club being open to offers for him and only four starts after he returned to fitness for United's closing 12 matches, none in Amorim's prioritised competition, the Europa League. Now with Fernandes and Manuel Ugarte ahead of him for Amorim's two midfield spots (plus Casemiro maybe, too), and Cunha/Mbeumo beginning as the preferred 10 axis, Mainoo has what may be an unwinnable fight to regain a berth in the XI. On Friday Amorim said of Sesko: 'First of all, physically he's ready. That is a big component in our league.' How Mainoo must wish the head coach viewed him the same.
BBC News
2 days ago
- BBC News
Leyton Orient v Stockport County
Update: Date: 9' Title: Post Content: Delay in match because of an injury Owen Moxon (Stockport County). Update: Date: 9' Title: Post Content: Callum Connolly (Stockport County) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Update: Date: 9' Title: Post Content: Foul by Omar Beckles (Leyton Orient). Update: Date: 8' Title: Post Content: Corner,Leyton Orient. Conceded by Callum Connolly. Update: Date: 8' Title: Post Content: Attempt blocked. Aaron Connolly (Leyton Orient) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Sean Clare. Update: Date: 5' Title: Post Content: Kyle Wootton (Stockport County) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Update: Date: 5' Title: Post Content: Foul by Omar Beckles (Leyton Orient). Update: Date: 3' Title: Post Content: Foul by Idris El Mizouni (Leyton Orient). Update: Date: 3' Title: Post Content: Callum Camps (Stockport County) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Update: Date: 1' Title: Post Content: Corner,Leyton Orient. Conceded by Callum Connolly. Update: Date: 1' Title: Post Content: Attempt blocked. Aaron Connolly (Leyton Orient) right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box is blocked. Assisted by Josh Koroma. Update: Date: 1' Title: Kick Off Content: First Half begins. Update: Date: 1' Title: Post Content: Lineups are announced and players are warming up.
