On an overcast Wednesday morning, 93-year-old Neil Norman is starting his day with what for him is the almighty challenge of walking a lap of his estate in Caswell, with the use of his trustee "lap mobile", raising funds to help fight a disease.
In 2020, Neil sadly lost his lifelong partner Anne Norman to Covid. She'd also had Alzheimer's for four years, a disease Neil described as "cruel" as he watched his wife begin to lose her identity and approach dementia.
What first started as a joke on the family WhatsApp group, as Neil looked to regain his fitness, ended up becoming a significant challenge for Peter as he messaged his family, "two down, 98 to go" after completing a lap of his estate in Havergal Close to raise money for research into Alzheimer's. You can get more Swansea news and other story updates straight to your inbox by subscribing to our newsletters here.
Citing Captain Tom Moore as the inspiration for his own idea, with the help of his family, they have set up a fundraising page to document his efforts and help raise money for the Alzheimer's Society. You can follow regular updates and donate to his effort by clicking here.
The challenge is no easy feat for Neil as he suffers each day with an arthritic hip and knee, meaning he is in discomfort and pain each time he completes a lap, and sometimes needs to spend a few days following an effort recovering. Having started in April, when we met him he was navigating his estate for the 83rd time with an open invitation being issued to walk alongside him for his 100th lap in an estimated 6-8 weeks time. You can read the latest stories in and around Caswell by clicking here.
Neil lost his wife, began suffering issues with his hip, and lost his ability to drive due to his eyesight, all in the space of six months, and he acknowledged it was difficult not to suffer from "self pity" but said he'd recognised he wanted to change. Determined to break out of his mundane cycle, he invested in a small three-wheeled walker after finding ease navigating a supermarket alongside his daughter Pam Whyte, and decided he wanted to regain his fitness walking his estate.
After his second lap, Neil joked to the family he planned 98 more, and his grandson encouraged him to start a small family fundraiser with a £100 target. But that quickly grew into a larger goal and is still increasing, with the family hoping he can reach £1,000 by the time her gets to his 100th lap.
"Peter, my son, set up a JustGiving page for me and there was only one clear charity I wanted to raise money for. My wife had Alzheimer's for four years and the Alzheimer's Society were absolutely brilliant. When we were in lockdown they continually rang us and checked on us, even after Anne passed - they still kept in touch. If you've ever watched anyone with Alzheimer's change you know it's hard, it is just so cruel" said Neil.
Originally from Liverpool, Neil first met Anne back in 1949 at the age of 20, when Anne was 18. The pair were both at a folk dancing event with their groups and Anne joined Neil to give him "the biggest smile I have ever had and melted my heart".
The couple married in 1954 and would go on to move around England and later to Swansea. Neil, a former lubricant engineer, who said his job was always guaranteed to be "a conversation starter" saw his work move him and his family around, Anne was a fitness fanatic and PE teacher. The two would go on to spend over 70 years together and have three children, five grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
Neil had already walked 10 and a half miles when we met him, all in memory of his wife Anne, and will have walked the equivalent of half a marathon when he finally completes his goal. Despite the ongoing challenges with heatwaves, more typical Welsh weather and discomfort when walking - Neil said he had "never been so determined" as he continued towards his goal, when circumstances permitted it.
"If you know of anyone who has dementia, I have friends and family with it and it is the most cruel thing I have ever seen. The way it is for the loved ones, to see somebody change like that - it is just difficult. Anything I can do to give money to help support it, I just knew I had to. When you first start out with the idea of 100 laps, it is miles in the sky - it is a long way, It is not getting any easier" he said.
When reflecting on his goal, Neil said Anne was "quite a character", so much so that "for her 88th birthday she chose a bodyboard as her present and would regularly go swimming down Langland with it" he laughed.
With the 100 laps target soon approaching, Neil has no plans on slowing down and intends to continue walking even after his goal, but when quizzed on whether 200 laps was next he laughed and made no promises.
"From my hair to my chin, I am 18 years old - it is below there I have problems. My head doesn't know how old my body is but I will still keep walking. I don't want to be complacent - there is more to life than that," he added.
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