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Stormin’ Norma!

Meet 91-year-old Norma Howard from Fleet, Hampshire, who climbed to the to​​​​p wing of a biplane and flew at 500 feet above an airfield in Cirencester, Gloucestershire to set a new record for the oldest female wing walker.

Norma is not doing this for thrills or celebrity status, Norma is doing this solely to raise funds for Dementia UK and our growing Admiral Nurse service.

Dementia UK’s Admiral Nurses provide the specialist dementia support that families need. When things get challenging or difficult, Admiral Nurses work alongside families affected by dementia, giving them one-to-one support, expert guidance and practical solutions, helping families face dementia with more confidence and less fear.​

Norma in Dementia UK T shirt in front of an old plane.

Norma took to the skies above Gloucestershire strapped to the top wing of a vintage bi-plane. Once her feet were safely back on the ground she admitted, “I feel very relieved but also invigorated. It was cold up there and I had so many layers on me I looked like the Michelin Man. The hardest bit was actually getting up onto the plane wrapped in so many clothes!”

And what’s next for Norma? “I’d like to try abseiling for my next challenge – maybe Portsmouth’s Spinaker Tower?” Laughing she added, “It’s only 170 metres…that’s pretty much how high I was today strapped to the wing of a plane! Easy!”

Norma, we salute you!