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Octogenarian Celebrates his 88th Birthday gliding
16/07/2008
Retired journalist, Frank Clarke will be celebrating his 88th Birthday with a flight in a glider. The Threshfield Court Care Home resident, took to the skies on July 16th and hoped that his flight in 2008 is just as exciting as the gliding trip he took nearly 50 years ago. When Frank was 39, and the editor of his company's magazine and newspaper, he wrote an article about The Yorkshire Gliding Club. He was very well received by the captain of the club, and at the end of the visit Frank was persuaded to take a trip up in the glider. Frank recalls that during the flight the pilot took the aircraft into a loop the loop and in those days the gliders were open to the elements and only had leather straps to keep you in! Frank has never forgotten that exhilarating experience and nearly half a century later says he will be disappointed if he doesn't get to do another loop the loop. Frank has been helped to achieve his birthday wish through the help of the Barchester Healthcare Foundation. The new ‘Make a Dream Come True' campaign run by the Foundation helps residents of Barchester care homes realise any dreams they wish to achieve and on hearing about the adventure Frank wanted to undertake they offered to pay for the flight. Frank says: "All the staff at Threshfield Court have been very encouraging, right from the first time I mentioned wanting to do another glider flight. I have had nothing but support and help to achieve this dream. This is going to be one last fling for me and I'm not nervous at all, infact, I am more excited this time round."