Fundraising is my mission, says 86-year-old runner

An 86-year-old charity runner said it was her "mission" to ensure other families get the same "phenomenal" care that her sister received at a hospice during the final weeks of her life.

Barbara Thackray, from Altrincham in Trafford, only took up running 10 years ago to raise money for St Ann's Hospice in Cheadle, which had looked after her sister.

Since then Barbara, who ran her 10th annual 10k race this weekend, has brought in more than £30,000 for the Stockport-based charity.

The octogenarian, who runs 10k twice a week, said she planned to keep running and fundraising as long as she can.

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."

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."

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