TURNING 50 was always going to be a difficult milestone for Dianne Raisbeck to celebrate after losing the woman she looked up to following a short battle with liver disease one year earlier.
But the businesswoman from Great Sankey vowed to make her mum Josie proud by completing 50 challenges in her 50th year to raise funds for the hospice that cared for her in the final weeks of her life.
The 50-year-old, who already has a hectic work schedule with running a window cleaning business as well as working as a national sales manager for a Spanish food company, has just a handful of challenges left to complete before she turns 51 on October 17.
From dressing up as a gnome at Whittle Hall duck pond and dyeing her hair ginger for the day to knitting 10 baby blankets for the neo natal ward and kissing 50 people for 50p, Dianne is determined to complete the lengthy list of challenges.
“Most of them have been enjoyable but some have been embarrassing,” said Dianne, who was born in Ellesmere Port but has lived in Warrington for 25 years.
“I went into the phone shop in Warrington with a banana and I had to ask if I could upgrade to an apple. He was a young lad and you could tell he was really embarrassed but he went along with it. He just thought there was something wrong with me.”
The list of challenges were compiled by her close friends and family, who were not afraid to make Dianne squirm.
Her mum Josie died aged 68 in August 2014 after battling non-alcoholic liver disease. Dianne always had a close relationship with her mum.
She said: “She fought really hard. We lost my dad the year before that to heart failure and managed to get through that but then we lost her. It has been a difficult few years.
“I used to see her every day. She was so full of life and fun. She has five girls and was great with all of us.
“I had to play a netball match with my youngest sister and her team and she would have loved us doing it together.
“She would have really laughed at some of the stuff I have to do.”
All money raised will be donated to The Hospice of the Good Shepherd in Chester. “They were marvellous with us and her,” Dianne said.
To donate search for ‘Challenge 50 in memory of my gorgeous mum’ on Facebook or call Dianne on 07595 760086.
The 50 list:
Learn 25 words in Makaton
Climb Snowden
Do a three mile walk
Wear a dress for a day
Take three interesting photos and raffle them off to raise extra money
Re-decorate Jeanette’s downstairs toilet
Knit 10 baby blankets for neo natal unit at the Countess of Chester Hospital
Build a 5ft Snowman, dress in red scarf carrot, coal and top hat and get photo kissing it
Get 'Dancing in the Sky' played on the radio for mum
Get an all over body spray tan
Do a five mile tag team swim and choose four extra people to help
Attend a fitness class dressed in Lycra
Learn a magic trick
Help in an retirement home for a day
Not use a mobile phone for a day
Go into any town centre and dance with five strangers
Wear a headband in hair for 24 hours at Trib Fest
Spend a traditional family day together with the kids
Be a Cheerleader at one of the of Whittle Halls matches
Abseil in a fairy costume
Play a complete game of netball with the Misfits
Only eat lettice and water for 24 hours- no salt or salad cream allowed
Dye hair ginger for at least one day
Spike hair in rainbow colours for the day
Get gel nails fitted. They must be painted in colour and stay on for minimum of two weeks
Attend a session with Warrington Rock Choir
Lose three stone by June
To be completed When Kay and I are both 50 years old. A challenge set by Shona
Climb to the top of Moel Famau
Go fishing and catch a fish
Make a model using the whole of Harry's Lego box
Kiss 50 people, walk dog in a onesie, wear a thong and dress for a day
Get the works van up to Gary's Garage and fix it.
Go into a phone shop with a banana and ask to upgrade to an apple
Make a 30th Birthday card
Survive a day out with Casper including getting home without any help from the wives.=
Have face made up by professional make-up artist and keep it on all day
Make afternoon tea for mums
Visit Michaela and Marie for two nights
Write a Poem 'The Legend That is Emma Littler'
Get eyebrows threaded wearing a dress and heels
Clean windows wearing a neon coloured tutu and a bow in hair
Dress up as super hero with the two boys have photos taken doing different things
Spend 50 minutes on 50th Birthday alone to remember all the love mum gave me
Swim in Lake Pickmere for 10 mins in January wearing appropriate attire
Dress as a gnome and go fishing in Whittle Hall Duck Pond during the school run
Go to a fitness class for one hour dressed in swimwear
Make a Christmas cake and ice and then raffle off for more funds
Knit a bobble nat
Dress as a super hero and visit a children’s ward in a hospital
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