Bright Older Things

Kent Life doesn’t just celebrate our county’s Bright Young Things; meet three retirees for whom giving up work has meant a new lease of life. 

- Caroline Read

PATRICIA BURDEN, Linton nr Maidstone

PATRICIA Burden turned 70 earlier this year. Working full time until she was made redundant three years ago, this active grandmother of three turned down the opportunity to put her feet up and instead sought to get more fit and healthy.

“I enjoy being active,” says Pat. “I’m learning to play tennis at the moment. I began lessons 18 months ago, not having played ever before. I do a cardio tennis class for an hour followed by another hour of tennis coaching in a squad and occasionally I have a private lesson too.

“I also took up horse riding, having never been near a horse let alone on one until on a holiday in Scotland a couple of years ago.” 

Tennis lessons and horse riding sound energetic enough but Pat also sees a personal trainer once a week for an hour-long fitness session. She’s also recently become the Neighbourhood Watch Co-Ordinator for her village and joined the Parish Council.

Last year Pat, whose three adult sons are all very sporty, was encouraged to join a local running club, Beginners 2 Runners. With several branches across Kent, her nearest was in the village of Coxheath.

“It was freezing on my first evening,” she admits. “I started on the 0-5k course, running around a school playground for a minute and walking for 1.5 minutes for 30 minutes – and ended after 10 weeks being able to run 5k.