By Alison Blair
For me, true bravery is demonstrated when somebody goes ahead and does something that terrifies them. Lawrence Warner, at the age of 74 years, is one such man. Instead of taking things easy, he is seeking a new challenge, preferably one that will stretch his capacity to face his demons whilst scaring the living daylights out of himself and possibly his friends and family.Having confessed that he is terrified of heights and suffers from vertigo, even at the top of a step ladder, Lawrence intends to leap from an aircraft at 15,000ft (4,600 metres) attached to a highly experienced and trained instructor.
So, who is Lawrence? At the tender age of 17, Lawrence, who is no stranger to travel, cycled around Europe as a Queen’s Scout. He and Marcia, his immensely supportive wife of 38 years, have lived and worked in the USA, and in 2006 they sailed around South America with Swan Hellenic.During this time they have raised three children, all of whom are quite used to Lawrence’s various exploits and have inherited his adventurous spirit. In his own words: “I am lucky not least because all the family have given unqualified support to my/our various ventures.”
Following National Service 1958-1960 with R.A.P.C. in Hong Kong, he joined the International Division of Nat West Bank and then left in 1988 to pursue his keen interest in graphology. He founded the International Graphology Association and in 1989 took a degree in Psychology at the Open University. His book Personality in Handwriting – a key to successful relationships – is a fascinating read and a journey of discovery. It may come as little surprise to you that he is multi-lingual, keeps his brain active by playing Chess and Bridge and practises Pilates, T’ai Chi and Nordic Walking.
Of course Lawrence isn’t just leaping from a plane for the sheer hell of it; he’s found yet another worthwhile cause that he wants to support. Now he’s right behind the non-profit Associação Madrugada, recognising the value of their service in the community. As he so succinctly puts it: “The aim of Madrugada is to help people and their families and friends adapt to, and cope with, serious illness. It is here not only to help those affected to make informed decisions, but also to assist with care by co-ordinating a range of services.It provides palliative care, which is not just about pain management and symptom relief – it also offers emotional, spiritual and practical support.”
|| How can you help?
Please contact Madrugada www.madrugada-portugal.com
T: 282 761 375
M: 964 951 570
or Lawrence at
Bank Transfers to:
NIB: 0032 0266 0020 8633 599 78
IBAN: PT50 0032 0266 0020 8633 5997 8
Swift Code: BARCPTPL
