Gill Knowles

I am nominating Auntie Gill. To say she's an inspiration is no exaggeration. She's 65 and always busy doing something for someone else, though if you told her she's an inspiration, she would deny it! Gill works extremely hard in her local community helping organise and run fetes and fundraisers. She volunteers and gardens for what she calls 'old people'. When local residents asked the council to paint old railings in the area and there were no funds, Gill and others took responsibility for restoring them. She has also helped clear fly tipping and done countless other tasks to improve the local area. Gill has been involved in many different sporting activities over the years. She has tried her hand at fencing, bowls, playing and arranging hockey fixtures, taking part in and arranging hikes, including in the Himalayas, which encouraged my husband to take on the three peaks challenge. She is currently treasurer of and has been for many years involved with Heywood cricket club. Gill also mucks in to do so much there, no task is beneath her, she fixes anything she possibly can, cooks and serves food and helps to organise and run fundraisers for the club. She is so excited about the Olympics and recently learnt she is lucky enough to be attending some events. When I heard about the torch nomination scheme, I thought it was a great idea that we could show people like Gill how much she is appreciated and that we haven't taken her for granted.AGE 66