A SOLDIER from Bradford is celebrating 25 years in the armed forces by completing 25 challenges in the last 25 days of her service.
Stacey Lord, of Wyke, is aiming to "go out with a bang" by raising £2,500 for Armed Forces charity SSAFA.
During her quarter of a decade stint in the army, the 42-year-old has seen it all.
After going out to the Falkland Islands and Afghanistan, she spent eight years in Germany before returning to the UK in an HR role.
"It has been my whole life," Stacey said.
"I joined when I was 17, I have never had a civilian job.
"There are loads of opportunities in the army and I have met so many crazy fabulous people.
"I look after the army finances and the soldier’s administration. I have done my time, it is the end of my contract, and I didn’t have an option to stay on.
"I hope to join the army reserves at Thornbury in September."
So far, since starting on July 3, challenges have included a Baywatch spoof and dressing up as Little Mermaid on a beach in Devon, an 8k hike, and cliff jumping.
Speaking about why she wanted to do the 25-day challenge, while on her way back from the coast, Stacey said: "I got Covid and for over a year I could not really do anything.
"I had no energy and could not really string a sentence together. Over the last couple of months, everything just seems to have disappeared.
"I am now in my last 25 days of army service, so I just thought I would do something to raise some money.
"It is a bit of a sad world currently so I just thought it would be good to try to make people laugh at the same time."
In the next 17 days, Stacey intends to do The Vicar of Dibley and Dirty Dancing spoofs, ride her horse around Brighouse while in Peaky Blinders clothes, and host a fundraising weekend.
She is also hoping to be involved in a penalty shootout during Bradford City's friendly with Sunderland at Valley Parade on July 19.
Her partner Sean, who is ex-forces, is a huge Sunderland fan, so Stacey thinks it would be good to show their rivalry as well as raise some money for charity.
If you would like to help Stacey reach her target, of which £737 has already been raised at the time of writing, click here.
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