THE LONGEST serving volunteer for Fair Havens is reminding us all that age is just a number, by taking on her very own garden marathon to raise money for the adult hospice.

Pearl Naylor MBE, 94, has been volunteering for Fair Havens since the very beginning, even before the original hospice opened on Chalkwell Avenue in 1983.

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Having dedicated so much time and effort over the years Pearl will go down in hospice history, having had the honour of leaving a special message hidden inside a time capsule which is buried in the new grounds at Priory Crescent in Prittlewell.

But with lockdown keeping her volunteer work at bay and with Pearl shielding at her house in Southend, she wanted to do her bit to help Havens Hospices, which has been hit with a huge drop in donations after the pandemic meant all public fundraising events had to be cancelled or postponed.

So, supported by her grandson Ryan Philpot and his wife Mel, Pearl walked 26 times around her beautiful garden and has made a donation of £100 to the hospice.

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Pearl, who was inspired by Captain Tom Moore to take on the challenge, said: “I am really missing Fair Havens and all the staff who work there doing a wonderful job of caring for our patients. Although I desperately want to get back to work, I understand the importance of keeping everyone safe.

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“When I saw Captain Tom doing his challenge at 100 years old, I thought to myself – I can do something, too. So we had the idea of completing 26 laps of my garden because the London Marathon – which raises hundreds of thousands of pounds for Havens Hospices – is 26 miles.”

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Grandson Ryan said: “Nan is incredible, just super-human. She has tremendous energy, wit and selfless generosity. She continues to give so much, both to Fair Havens and her family and friends. It would seem that her own advancing years are an irrelevance. To her, age is just a number.”

The 46-year-old from Westcliff, added: “I wouldn’t rule out a full marathon next time!”