MOST people want a party for their birthday, but not Kate Crutcher. The dedicated fundraiser wants to complete 70 challenges by the time she reaches her next big 'zero' birthday.

The 68-year-old from Royal Wootton Bassett will be actively seeking out a variety of different challenges to tick off her list before her 70th birthday next year in September.

And she'll be raising money for charity along the way.

So far, she has completed seven challenges, and the next one - taking place Saturday – is a corker. Kate and her son will be doing a skydive near Salisbury for the Great Western Hospital's Brighter Futures appeal.

Kate lost her husband to cancer and had to watch her son Colin battle the illness and she thinks it would be extremely beneficial for Swindon to have their own radiotherapy unit.

She said: “This is a much-needed unit that this town needs to have, my son was diagnosed three weeks after turning 50 with cancer and I had to see him travel all the way to Oxford for treatment – which is draining enough and most the time patients want home comfort and less stress than what they are already dealing with.

“I told my children that I didn’t want a 70th birthday party next year and they responded why don’t you make yourself useful and do something special that will help others.

“And here I am now.”

Kate has already shaved her head, climbed the Millennium Dome, swum 70 lengths, run the bubble rush, milked a cow and hiked over 70 miles in Malta.

She has also completed a 15km nearly 10 miles) Starlight Walk for Prospect Hospice which she finished in two hours and 38 minutes.

By challenging herself in lots of different ways, big and small, she wants to show solidarity with people who are bravely dealing with life- threatening and terminal illnesses, and the amazing people and charities who help them.

The thrill-seeker has admitted that although she is petrified of heights she couldn’t refuse to take part in anything that involved heights she feels that would otherwise limit her and she wants to push herself and overcome all obstacles.

Kate will be sharing the money she raises between four charities including Brighter Futures, Prospect Hospice, The Forever Friends Appeal and Dorothy House Hospice.

She added: “This can do a lot of good for others and it will go towards helping people who really need it.

“Sharing my birthday with so many people will make it one to remember and extra special, I’m over the moon.”

Her toughest challenge so far was the head shave as she pointed out it's not great for any woman to lose their hair. But she put a brave face on and after six weeks her locks have started to grow back.

To make sure she wears the right attire while out fundraising, Kate's family made sure to get her a bright pink t-shirt with the words ‘fundraising for’ and a picture of all the charities on the back of the shirt and ‘Kate’s 70th birthday charity challenge' with two personal and sentimental pictures on the front of it.

Members of her family have also been taking part in their own fundraisers and adding the money they've raised donations added to Kate's Justgiving page as a surprise.

Her nephew Tim Watkins completed the 100-mile Ride London Classic sportive through the streets of the capital and the Surrey countryside in awful weather conditions last weekend.

Kate said: "“I will give this everything I possibly can to accomplish the goal I have set.

“My family have been amazing and its thanks to them that I have the support and determination to do this.

“I can always rest once this is over, but not right now.”

There is always time for a slice of birthday cake once the challenge is finished.

After Saturday’s skydive she will be planning out three more activities including a wing walk, ballet class and a 100 mile walk from church to church.

So far Kate has raised £800.

Visit https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/kate-crutcher5 to donate.