Lochinver woman's staircase challenge nears £400,000
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The inspirational 90-year-old Lochinver woman on a fundraising mission to scale the equivalent height of Suilven has raised almost £400,000 so far.
Margaret Payne is approaching the half-way mark in the two-month fundraising challenge to climb the staircase at her home 282 times – the equivalent height of the 2398ft high mountain.
Initially, she hoped to raise £10,000 for the NHS and Highland Hospice.
But the latest total now stands at £394,146 including Gift Aid.
Mrs Payne is delighted with the support from the public and is urging people to keep on giving.
"It is wonderful," she said. "I never dreamt it would make this sort of money.
"I am managing to keep going. I am gradually getting there.
"Some days I manage to do the stairs four or five times, so I must be getting fitter!"
Along with donations on her online fundraising page, there have also been messages of encouragement including one from the Welcome Break group at Frinton Free Church in Essex.
"You're an inspiration to us all, Margaret," it states. "We run a club for over-65s and I've told our guests what you're doing.
"It just proves that it's never too late to make a difference. Bless you!"
Another message from a Donna Jones and family states: "Walking that distance in a straight line is amazing but doing it whilst climbing stairs is just incredible.
"Your generation just keeps on reminding us of the rewards of putting others before ourselves. Keep going you super woman."
Inspired by Captain Tom Moore, who hit the headlines as he raised millions of pounds for the NHS by completing 100 laps of his garden ahead of his 100th birthday, Margaret began her challenge on Easter Sunday and completed three flights before lunch.
To donate go to Virginmoneygiving.com/MargaretPayneArdvar-SuilvenChallenge
