By Ray Duffill
Mavis Lane of Hedon was 90 on Wednesday, June 21, but did she take it easy? Not at all!
Mavis took part in her weekly walk with the social walking club, the Preston Walkers. This is an activity she has taken part in almost every week for the past 12 years.
However, last week was different. The 45-minute walk around Preston was followed by a surprise birthday party for Mavis at the club’s base in the Preston Community Hall.
While the walk took place, friends from the club decorated the hall with balloons, banners, a buffet, a birthday cake and flowers. And when the sprightly birthday girl returned, she was utterly surprised to see the transformed place full of friends past and present from the walking club.
Within seconds of arriving, friends had ensured that Mavis’s walking hat was replaced with a birthday tiara. Later, a bunch of flowers was presented to her in front of the club members with birthday messages read out.
Mavis was one of the founder members of the Preston Walkers who every week conduct walks at a variety of locations alternating between short and longer routes.
The group regularly hosts more than 40 walkers, Mavis quite often leading from the front. On this occasion, a friend had to distract Mavis from being the first through the door, giving a chance for the others to assemble inside for the surprise.
Walker Debbie Bullock, who helped organise the surprise party, said: “Mavis attends every weekly walk and is so fit it is unbelievable. While she has been a member of Preston Walkers for such a long time, it’s not the only thing she does. She is a big Hull Kingston Rovers fan, attending all the home games. She takes part in many other community groups too.”
Does Mavis have any advice on staying so fit? “You’ve just got to stop doing your housework and go out and do something else instead!”
Of course, one of those things is to go walking, and you can find out more about Preston Walkers at prestonwalkers.weebly.com.
