Scratby woman nominated for Pride of Britain Awards
Torchbearer Betty Brown carries the Olympic flame through Filby. Picture: Denise Bradley - Credit: Copyright: Archant 2012
A woman living with disabilities is waiting to hear if she makes it through to the finals of a national competition celebrating the work she has done for charity.
Betty Brown, 84, from Scratby, has been nominated for the National Pride of Britain awards.
She is currently one of the last four in the Anglia region, and if she wins on Friday, will be off to London for the final ceremony representing the region.
Mrs Brown was diagnosed with polio when she was 18. At the time she was training to be a PE teacher when she became wheelchair bound with the condition.
This did not stop her on achieving her goal of becoming a teacher as she completed her training and went on to teach.
It was at this time that she started to raise money for charity, starting small but donating money she raised from teaching children to play the guitar.
She said: “I started with the teaching but then I donated art work to local craft shops and donated the money from the sales to various charities.
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“I now do talks on my life experiences, from the children I have met and taught, to what it was like being an Olympic Torch bearer.”
Mrs Brown has raised money for various disabled groups including the National Society for the Disabled and she founded the Marina Centre Physically Disabled Swim Club.
Despite having been raising money for so long she does not keep track of the amount raised.
“I often get told off because I don’t keep track,” Mrs Brown added, “The craft shop I used to donate to said I raised around £500 a season so it must be in the thousands.
“I don’t handle the money though, as long as the money gets to the right charities, that’s what matters.
“I do feel honoured that I have been put forward, it was certainly a bit of a shock, but that’s not what I do it for. I do it as it helps other people and it helps me keep active.
“This was not the life I chosen but I have made the best of it.”
In 2012 she had the honour of carrying the Olympic torch through the borough.
The finalists will be announced on Friday.
The Mirror’s Pride of Britain Awards in partnership with TSB celebrate the achievements of truly remarkable people who make our world a better place.
