Retired community volunteers stopped in London and handed the holiday they never knew they wanted

A retired Shropshire couple who dedicate their free time to supporting elderly residents in their local community have been surprised with a once-in-a-lifetime cruise holiday by Olympic legend Sir Mo Farah.

Jane Snowden, 67, and husband Andy, 70, from Claverley, were visiting family in London when Sir Mo stopped them on the street and offered them a Virgin cruise departing from Athens — on the condition they said yes almost immediately.

Jane said: “We were down visiting family and out for a walk when we spotted Mo out of the corner of our eye. We had absolutely no idea what was coming next when Mo pulled out the envelope and revealed we’d won a trip of a lifetime — we were completely stunned.”

Saying yes to something new

The surprise was part of a campaign by Virgin Red, Virgin’s rewards club, encouraging people to embrace spontaneity and overcome hesitation.

Research commissioned by Virgin Red found that nearly half of people in the West Midlands struggle to act in the moment, with almost three in five admitting they have missed opportunities by not saying yes quickly enough.

Sir Mo said: “I’ve learned that some of the best moments in life happen when you trust your gut and just go for it. That spontaneous mindset is what Go-Mo is all about.”

Since retiring, the Snowdens have run Claverley Good Neighbours, a voluntary initiative supporting elderly and vulnerable residents in their area, part of a national network of more than 120 community groups.