82‑year‑old lifts weights to save church heating

An 82‑year‑old former prison chaplain is proving you’re never too old to do some heavy lifting – by taking on a powerlifting challenge to raise money for his church.

Vernon Lidstone is training to lift a massive 200kg – about the same weight as a double‑door fridge freezer – in a bid to fund a new air source heat pump at St Peter’s Church, Framilode.

The octogenarian lifter is already no stranger to the weights, having lifted 182.5kg in his last competition. This time, he’s pushing himself even further.

Vernon said: “I want to push a bit further this time. For me, this challenge symbolises staying active in later life, caring for the environment, and keeping faith at the heart of local life.”

His efforts aim to replace the church’s failed oil‑fired boiler with a greener, more sustainable heating system — turning muscle power into a warmer, cleaner future for the village.

You can donate in support of Vernon’s campaign to the St Peter’s Just Giving page http://justgiving.com/charity/StPeters-Framilode