FAMILY
Living life to the full
by Joanne Ainley Peter Foster But one adventurous Rotherham
man is putting his plan firmly into practice and showing no signs of slowing down at the age of 79. Daredevil Peter Foster is very
much a man on a mission to get other older people into a more positive mindset and out and about despite what life might throw at them. In recent years, Peter has been
no stranger to exciting challenges that would make even the bravest of us weak at the knees. In 2016, he fulfilled a long-time ambition to do a wing walk which took him 3,000ft up in the air strapped to an American naval plane. While the wing-walk had
always been on his ‘to-do’ list, he combined his personal goal with helping others and embarked on a marathon fundraising effort. His determination paid off when he raised a staggering £7,200 for the Alzheimer’s Society - a charity he was keen to support after his wife Wendy first showed signs of the condition some years ago. Since then, day to day life has
inevitably changed for the couple but Peter’s sense of adventure has continued to grow with a hot air balloon ride and a flying lesson now under his belt. As his wife of 55 years can testify:
The view from the top
“He never sits still.” But this September, his
adventurous side hit new heights when he reached breath-taking speeds of almost 120mph while zooming 400ft above the Welsh quarries on a zip wire – an escapade Wendy witnessed a safe distance away in the onsite café at Zip World’s Penrhyn Quarry site in North Wales. The overall experience took
about two hours including a memorable drive up the quarry face in an ex-Army truck and a small ‘Little Zipper’ practice run across a lake, culminating in the thrill of
As the saying goes, you only live once and living life to the full is something we might all aspire to as we draw up our bucket list goals.
Peter making his descent
lot of people who are on their own and who can’t be bothered to do things and I find that sad. I want to inspire older people to get out and do things, not sit at home watching TV,” he says. To that end, Peter has a few
practical suggestions that might help to motivate people and brighten their days especially when the going gets tough. He advises thinking about your interests which might include sport, theatre or history and making yourself do different things, particularly out of your comfort zone. If you do need to stay closer
‘‘his adventurous side hit new heights when he reached breath-taking speeds of almost 120mph while zooming 400ft above the Welsh quarries on a zip wire’’
briefly hurtling head-first down the full-size zip wire reaching 0-60mph in just ten seconds. But, while Peter doesn’t expect
other people to go to such extremes, he doesn’t believe age or circumstances should necessarily be a barrier to making the most of life. “In the last few years, I’ve met a
to home then trying a spot of gardening is one of Peter’s top tips. Couple that with visit to a nearby garden centre or just a short walk if possible and you could well meet like-minded people to chat to along the way. “I understand that mobility can
play a part but you don’t have to do anything big or travel too far,” explains Peter. “You can use your bus pass for free which makes trips to another town more viable and it’s well worth visiting Rotherham’s Tourist Information Centre which has lots of ideas and is extremely helpful. “Contact friends or relatives
Photos courtesy of Zip World
48
aroundtownmagazine.co.uk
Participants, preparing for their descent
you haven’t seen for a while or sit near another person on their own if you’re out for lunch or a coffee and start a conversation with them.
Peter and Wendy celebrating
55 years together
You might actually make their day by having a friendly word as well as improving your own. Think about volunteering or join a local group or organisation.” And finally, Peter advises reading
Aroundtown magazine! “It’s full of ideas centred on
Rotherham and Barnsley and has helped us find out about all sorts of places we didn’t know. We’ve been to Cawthorne Museum, Maurice Dobson Museum in Darfield and the Countess Tea Rooms at Wortley after reading Aroundtown,” he says. As keen travellers, Peter and
Wendy make sure they have regular outings and holidays as new experiences and environments are beneficial to Wendy and give Peter a welcome change of scene from juggling household tasks and his wife’s ongoing care. He is a long-standing member
of Rother Vale Club 41 which meets monthly and Wendy attends the women’s side of the organisation, the Upper Circle, which also adds to their social circle and varied itinerary. True to form, Peter has other
ambitious plans still on his ‘to-do’ list before he reaches his 80th birthday next year including a spot of gliding with eldest daughter Melanie. They say age is just a number
and this young at heart character shows no signs of putting his feet up just yet.
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