“SUPERGRAN” Elizabeth Stones has a new challenge ahead of her - she is going to trek across the Sahara desert to raise money for charity.
The grandmother-of-six has become a legend in her own lifetime thanks to her ceaseless fundraising work for the children’s charity, MedEquip4Kids.
On February 23 she will set off on her latest adventure - a nine day trip across one of the world’s most inhospitable regions.
Mrs Stones, aged 67, of Bradshaw, has previously trekked across the Grand Canyon, along the Great Wall of China, down the Inca trail in Peru and up Mount Kilimanjaro.
She says that despite all the dangers involved in her trips, the pleasure makes them more than worthwhile.
“I am worried about the heat and the sandstorms, and everything else, but I’m looking forward to it,” she says.
“I’m also looking forward to seeing the night sky without the light pollution that you get here, I think that will be magic.”
Mrs Stones says she is also looking forward to seeing Mount Toubkal - the highest peak in the Atlas Mountain range in Morocco - although she has visited the mountain before.
She says: “When I climbed it, it was covered in thick mist.
“When we got to the top we were told, down there is the Sahara desert’ - but you could have been on a bombsite in Manchester during the war, there was just rubble. We couldn’t see a thing.”
Mrs Stones says that her greatest regret was not reaching the peak of Kilimanjaro on her last trip, due to altitude sickness.
She says: “I wouldn’t mind having another go, but I really don’t know if I’ll be able to put myself through that again.”
Mrs Stones will be accompanied on the Sahara adventure by her friend Lynn Gartside.
They have been training by walking up and down the dunes on Southport beach.
Mrs Stones also does pilates to keep in shape and spends the rest of her spare time organising charity tombolas.
She says: “As soon as my house is cluttered with boxes and my husband says I can’t get into the garage’, I know it’s time to do a tombola. If anyone has any unwanted Christmas presents, or they’re spring cleaning, please remember me.”
In 2005, a mysterious visitor helped Elizabeth’s fundraising efforts.
She had written a letter to The Bolton News about her tombolas, and one morning awoke to find a bag containing a bottle of whiskey, a bottle of vodka and two jars of luxury jam left on her doorstep.
“I well up when I think of whoever that was, doing that annonymously. I think that is so beautiful.”
# Anyone wishing to donate tombola prizes can contact Elizabeth on 01204 302369.
