Army veteran, 85, running for women's charities

An 85-year-old woman, who only took up running at the age of 70, is set to take part in a city run to highlight organisations supporting female veterans.

Sandy Cawley is one of 66 former service personnel set to take part in the AJ Bell Great Birmingham Run on Sunday 3 May.

After being persuaded to join her local Parkrun by her son-in-law, the competitor said she had competed in races since 2018, describing the experience as "a joy".

"When you make it over the finish line you feel 10 feet tall," she said.

The group will be raising money for the Women's Royal Army Corps (WRAC) Association and Fighting with Pride, a charity which supports LGBTQ+ veterans affected by the armed forces' historical bans.

The great-grandmother will travel from her home in Andover, Hampshire, to join others who are travelling from all over the UK to run for the team.

Cawley's connection to the armed forces began when she joined the Women's Royal Army Corps just two days before her 19th birthday in 1959.

She was then posted to Germany, in a move that transformed her life, she explained.

"I became a different kind of person with more confidence," she said.

"It's amazing what you can do when you're given the encouragement. I made some wonderful friends and it helped me mature."

She also met her husband, who was serving in the RAF.

Raising money for the WRAC Association was important, she said.

"Age and rank doesn't matter," she said. "It organises so many social events and offers so much support to female veterans and I've made friends across the country through it."

The 66 team members of the WRAC Lionesses, who will all be wearing special t-shirts and carrying their mascot Mo Bear, hope to raise £6,000 for the charities.

Wendy Hooton, a voluntary fundraiser with the Association who is co-ordinating the team, said: "It's important to remember the women who served and still serve, some of whom make the ultimate sacrifice.

"We still have ladies who served in WW2, many now 100 years old."

"I am looking forward to the fantastic atmosphere in Birmingham and the support from the local community cheering us on as well as checking out the city's highlights like the Jewellery Quarter and the chance to try a famous balti."

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