Adventurous gran with MS to take on rapids and zip wire

A daring granny with MS who has already shaved her head is to zip wire across Wales, fly on a microlight plane and sail down rapids white water rafting for her beloved charity.
By The Newsroom
Published 24th Aug 2017, 23:00 BST
Updated 12th Sep 2017, 11:36 BST

This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on items purchased through this article, but that does not affect our editorial judgement.

Anne Brown, who has secondary progressive multiple sclerosis, is embarking on a number of daring challenges to raise money and awareness of Equi-Power Central Scotland RDA. Picture: Michael GillenAnne Brown, who has secondary progressive multiple sclerosis, is embarking on a number of daring challenges to raise money and awareness of Equi-Power Central Scotland RDA. Picture: Michael Gillen
Anne Brown, who has secondary progressive multiple sclerosis, is embarking on a number of daring challenges to raise money and awareness of Equi-Power Central Scotland RDA. Picture: Michael Gillen

Anne Brown from Carron has set 2017 – her 60th birthday year – as 12 months of fundraising challenges called Mrs Broon’s Big Birthday Bash.

Money raised will go to Denny-based Equi-Power Central Scotland RDA, which gives people with illnesses or disabilities the opportunity to ride horses.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Anne, who lives with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS), has already raised hundreds of pounds by getting her hair chopped off for the Princess Trust, which makes wigs for children with cancer and lose their hair through treatment such as chemotherapy.

Despite her illness, which forces her to use an electric wheelchair as she struggles to walk even short distances, Anne keeps as active as possible riding horses as a pastime she says gives her “freedom”.

Anne said: “I can’t walk to the end of my street so I have to use elbow crutches, a wheelchair or scooter depending on where I’m going so I can be as independent as possible.

“If I’m in the scooter going down the Carron footpath, you get people either ignoring you or speaking to you as if you have a learning disability, but if I go there on a horse, people treat you as if you were ‘normal’, their perception changes for some reason.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“Riding gives me freedom and Equi-Power is such a fantastic organisation that helps me to do it and they have done so much for me.”

Anne, who has two daughters and two granddaughters, competed at the RDA (Riding for the Disabled Association) UK National Championships in Hartpury, Gloucestershire in July and came fourth.

Her next activity is white water rafting in Aberfeldy on September 17 and she is asking her community to join her on the adventure to raise as much money as possible for Equi-Power.

Following that she will head to Wales to do the longest zip wire in Europe and fastest in the world on September 22 before a microlight flight later in the year.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

She is also planning to fundraise doing horse carriage driving and vaulting. To donate to Anne’s fundraising efforts visit mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/annebrown1. “All I want out of it is to raise the profile of RDA (Riding for the Disabled) and get people involved in helping them,” added Anne.

Related topics:WalesMoney