An 86-year-old from Claybrooke Magna is preparing to strap himself to the wing of an aircraft to raise money for Rainbows Hospice for Children and Young People. On June 19, Brian Fowler will undertake the daring challenge, soaring between 100ft and 700ft while reaching speeds of up to 110mph.
“I am really looking forward to the Wing Walk and I promise the more people donate, the more I will dance and wave my arms around,” said Fowler. The adventurous grandfather has already raised thousands of pounds for the charity over the years by completing a skydive, abseils, and climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. He has also conquered several long-distance walking trails across the country to support the cause.
“I am a passionate supporter of Rainbows. I have been fortunate, I have achieved the age of 86 years and enjoyed good health throughout my life. I have seen my children and grandchildren grow and flourish, but I know that sadly there are many youngsters who will never have the opportunities I have enjoyed. When I visit Rainbows Hospice, I am humbled and in awe of all that I see and sense. The love and care given by every single member of staff to make life that bit better for life-limited children and their families is incredible. I am just helping Rainbows to make that happen,” Fowler explained.
As a lifelong athlete, he recently bounced back from a knee replacement and is already training for the Great North Run in September. His sporting achievements also include the honour of being a Commonwealth Games baton bearer in both 1958 and 2022. His future plans include climbing the equivalent height of Mount Everest using British hills, alongside a planned trek in Morocco.
“When I am 100, I want to be able to say, I am glad I did that. Not I wish I had done that, and if I can support such a wonderful charity along the way, then that is even better,” said Fowler.
Rainbows relies heavily on fundraisers to help provide vital palliative and end-of-life care to hundreds of babies, children, and young people. “Brian has done so much for Rainbows over the years and we can’t thank him enough. His wonderful energy is infectious and his love for taking on anything is inspiring. We rely on our fundraisers like Brian to bring palliative and end-of-life care to hundreds of babies, children and young people,” said Claire Hoggan from Rainbows.
For more information about Rainbows, visit the charity's website. To sponsor Brian, visit his JustGiving page.
