A FAMILY whose ages range from seven to 86 are preparing to take part in a race in honour of relatives who have died of cancer.

The relatives, who call themselves The Golden Girls, are taking part in this summer’s Race for Life in Oxford.

They aim to put on a united front after losing family members to cancer.

The Golden Girls consist of assorted aunties, cousins, grandmothers and great-grandmothers living across Oxford, Kidlington, Witney and Banbury who came together after losing loved ones. Three are in their 80s and Olivia Powell, seven, is the youngest.

Team member and great grandmother Pam Powell, 81, of Eynsham, said: “My cousin Debbie Crockett lost her mum Jean Titcombe to lung cancer in 2012 and that year Debbie and her daughters Emma and Sarah decided to run Race for Life in her honour.

“We are a large, extended family and when we heard what they were planning, a lot of us wanted to join them.”

And age was no barrier.

“Despite three of us being in our eighties, we got sponsorship and either ran, jogged or walked the course, raising £1,000,” she said. “This year will be our third time taking part.”

This year’s Oxford Race for Life is the 19 th in the city and takes place on Sunday, July 13.

The group will join an expected crowd of 6,300 women and girls trying to raise a total of £370,000 for Cancer Research UK by walking, running or jogging a 5km route around University Parks and Oxford city centre Last year’s event saw 6,165 women raise £362,538.

Mrs Powell said: “Having lost two more relatives to cancer since we began, we are even more determined to keep taking part and raising money.

“We all dress in pink, with feather boas and pink shoes, and we older ones try to keep up with the younger ones, of course.

“But it is really special, and because it raises money for Cancer Research UK we all feel we are doing something really worthwhile.”

Golden Girls team leader Debbie Crockett, 49, from Kidlington, said: “It’s pretty complicated to explain how we are all related, but basically our oldest member is my aunt Pat Titcombe, who is 86 and lives in Cowley, and our youngest team member is Pam’s great-granddaughter Olivia Powell, who is seven.

“When we arrived at University Parks for the first time in 2012 we were all amazed at the atmosphere and felt exhilarated when we all met at the end. That still happens every year.”

The entry fee for Race for Life is £14.99 for adults and £10 for girls under 16.

To enter Race for Life, visit raceforlife.org or call 0845 600 6050.

  • Are you an individual or part of a team entering this year’s Race for Life? If so, email the Oxford Mail newsdesk at news@oxfordmail.co.uk