Friends in their 80s complete five-storey abseil

Two women stand together next to a large grey building holding certificates. On the left, Angela Turner has short grey hair and is wearing a purple coat. On the right, Joan Woodhouse has short white hair, and is wearing a green coat.
Angela Turner and Joan Woodhouse completed the challenge on Saturday [BBC]

Two friends, aged 80 and 82, have abseiled down a five-storey building to raise money for a chemotherapy day centre.

Angela Turner and Joan Woodhouse descended a ward block at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital on Saturday.

The pair volunteer at the centre, providing a listening ear for those going through chemotherapy, as well as their families, and making drinks and food for the patients.

After completing the abseil, Ms Woodhouse said she had found it "quite easy".

She previously had treatment at the hospital, after being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015.

She began volunteering at the centre six and a half years ago.

Ms Woodhouse said she was "so pleased" to have completed the abseil.

"It’s been coming on for three months now so just to do it is great," she said.

"When I was stepping off, I thought we’ve raised so much money this is such a good thing to be doing."

Ms Turner felt a connection to the centre, having watched her husband, two of her sisters and her daughter go through cancer.

After completing the challenge, she said: "It’s a very slippy surface, it was quite difficult to keep your feet in contact with the wall."

"It's all for a fantastic reason that we've done it," she added.

Follow BBC Shropshire on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: newsonline.westmidlands@bbc.co.uk

More on this story

Related internet links