Although his chairmanship of Rosemere Cancer Foundation is an honorary role, Peter Mileham OBE weilded his power this December in a way never before seen at the charity!
For at the age of 77- years-old, Peter, a former High Sheriff and current Deputy Lieutenant of Lancashire, has just competed in and won his first ever power lifting competition.
In the Masters 4 category of the event at Ashton’s Fitcess Gym, Peter hit three white lights, meaning he achieved a good lift, on every squat, bench press and deadlift he did to reach personal bests across the trio in taking the win and putting himself into the frame for a shot at the British Championships later this year.
Not only that, Peter raised a wonderful £3,217 for the charity through donations from family and friends, who sponsored him to go for gold.
Peter, an Honorary Fellow of the University of Central Lancashire, who received his OBE in 2016 for his services to Lancashire, said: “The pandemic has affected charities across the UK but the amazing supporters of Rosemere Cancer Foundation have gone above and beyond in their efforts to create new and unique ways of raising vital funds to support local cancer patients.
“Taking them as my inspiration, I wanted to find my own way to raise some much needed funds and having recently signed up to a gym to keep fit and healthy, I have come across a new found skill for weightlifting.
“I certainly didn’t expect to be entering a weightlifting competition at my age but I train at Fitcess and have received a lot of encouragement from my trainer Tom, who always thought I had a great chance of winning and has certainly put me through my paces.”
Peter, who took on the chairmanship of Rosemere Cancer Foundation in 2018, a year after losing his beloved wife Shelagh to cancer, and having already helped the charity 20 years earlier when marketing director of what is now Sika Preston by coming up with the name Rosemere following the charity’s rebrand, added: “I would like to thank everyone who supported me. Your sponsorship was an additional motivation in my efforts to literally raise the bar!”
Among Peter’s supporters were his daughters, solicitor Charlotte, who lives in Poulton-le-Fylde and is mum to his grandson Tom (14) and Caroline, who lives in London, works for Google and is mum to his granddaughter Scarlett (four).