• Contact us
  • About us
  • Digital edition
  • Online archive
Monday, June 2, 2025
Cumberland and Westmorland Herald
  • News
    Multiple fire crews tackle roof fire in Crosby Ravensworth

    Multiple fire crews tackle roof fire in Crosby Ravensworth

    Free domestic abuse support drop-in service launches in Penrith

    Free domestic abuse support drop-in service launches in Penrith

    Penrith bar relaunched with vibrant events planned

    Penrith bar relaunched with vibrant events planned

    Penrith Beacon access closed after vandalism

    Penrith Beacon access closed after vandalism

    Fire crews spend six hours tackling blaze at timber firm’s headquarters

    Fire crews spend six hours tackling blaze at timber firm’s headquarters

    £15 million luxury care home plans for Penrith

    £15 million luxury care home plans for Penrith

    Changes to business rates

    Changes to business rates

    Tesco Express opens doors in Penrith

    Tesco Express opens doors in Penrith

    Nursing award for Penrith’s Fay Dudson

    Nursing award for Penrith’s Fay Dudson

  • Sport
    Penrith teen crowned British vault champion

    Penrith teen crowned British vault champion

    Penrith gymnasts represent North of England in finals

    Penrith gymnasts represent North of England in finals

    New boss revealed for Penrith AFC

    New boss revealed for Penrith AFC

    Penrith Panthers celebrate winning season

    Penrith Panthers celebrate winning season

    Darren Edmondson leaves Penrith AFC

    Darren Edmondson leaves Penrith AFC

    Lucy plays key role in county T20 triumph

    Lucy plays key role in county T20 triumph

    Gold for Keith in annual festival of orienteering

    Gold for Keith in annual festival of orienteering

    Cumberland and Westmorland wrestlers head to European championships

    Cumberland and Westmorland wrestlers head to European championships

    Kirkby Stephen Hockey Club win league title

    Kirkby Stephen Hockey Club win league title

  • Obituaries
  • Nostalgia
  • Online archive
  • Buy Photos
  • Buy your paper
  • North Lakes Living
No Result
View All Result
Cumberland and Westmorland Herald
  • News
    Multiple fire crews tackle roof fire in Crosby Ravensworth

    Multiple fire crews tackle roof fire in Crosby Ravensworth

    Free domestic abuse support drop-in service launches in Penrith

    Free domestic abuse support drop-in service launches in Penrith

    Penrith bar relaunched with vibrant events planned

    Penrith bar relaunched with vibrant events planned

    Penrith Beacon access closed after vandalism

    Penrith Beacon access closed after vandalism

    Fire crews spend six hours tackling blaze at timber firm’s headquarters

    Fire crews spend six hours tackling blaze at timber firm’s headquarters

    £15 million luxury care home plans for Penrith

    £15 million luxury care home plans for Penrith

    Changes to business rates

    Changes to business rates

    Tesco Express opens doors in Penrith

    Tesco Express opens doors in Penrith

    Nursing award for Penrith’s Fay Dudson

    Nursing award for Penrith’s Fay Dudson

  • Sport
    Penrith teen crowned British vault champion

    Penrith teen crowned British vault champion

    Penrith gymnasts represent North of England in finals

    Penrith gymnasts represent North of England in finals

    New boss revealed for Penrith AFC

    New boss revealed for Penrith AFC

    Penrith Panthers celebrate winning season

    Penrith Panthers celebrate winning season

    Darren Edmondson leaves Penrith AFC

    Darren Edmondson leaves Penrith AFC

    Lucy plays key role in county T20 triumph

    Lucy plays key role in county T20 triumph

    Gold for Keith in annual festival of orienteering

    Gold for Keith in annual festival of orienteering

    Cumberland and Westmorland wrestlers head to European championships

    Cumberland and Westmorland wrestlers head to European championships

    Kirkby Stephen Hockey Club win league title

    Kirkby Stephen Hockey Club win league title

  • Obituaries
  • Nostalgia
  • Online archive
  • Buy Photos
  • Buy your paper
  • North Lakes Living
No Result
View All Result
Cumberland and Westmorland Herald
No Result
View All Result
Home Latest

Anna Granger never stopped dancing

by CWH
14 December 2022
in Latest, Obituaries
A A
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
Anna Granger

The Eden area lost a woman known for her love of life, determination and strong personality with the death of Anna Granger, from Stainton, aged 56.

Anna died following a long battle against cancer, fought with great dignity, which also saw her raise thousands of pounds for good causes and help increase awareness of the condition from which she was suffering.

Born at Willington Quay, Wallsend, Anna grew up alongside her brother Quentin and stepbrothers Steven and Mally. Living in Whitley Bay, she would spend weekends at Stannington where she had a great time riding horses over obstacles around a small course set up in a local field.

After starting high school in North Shields Anna discovered a love of running and competing in hurdles races. She proved to be a very good athlete and held records at both Newcastle and county levels.

At the age of 14 she found herself running alongside older members of her club, some of them up to 18 years old, and even travelled up to Edinburgh for racing events. She competed in a number of youth competitions, gaining medals and trophies.

However, at around the age of 16 Anna’s rebellious side started to show itself and she went to live in London. She remaining there for about five years and then moved back to the North East, where she met her future husband Stuart in a bar in Whitley Bay.

The couple spent time on the Caribbean island of Antigua before getting married back in the UK, after which they returned to Antigua. They especially enjoyed going out on friends’ yachts, sailing around different bays.

Moving back to the North East in the early 1990s, Anna became a proud mum to her eldest son Rob. Unfortunately, she and Stuart separated and divorced.

She then moved to Penruddock with her partner Mark, who she subsequently married. Her second son was Seth. Anna always did her best for her sons and also her adoptive sons Josh, Holmsey, Grundy and Dan, with all five growing up together.

Always a hard worker despite her rebellious streak, she got a job as an area manager with Avon and went on to build up a large base of clients.
Promoted to divisional manager, she worked in Northern Ireland for a couple of years. The opportunity then came up for her to become self-employed with Avon and over the following 18 months she built up a turnover of almost £2 million.

Unfortunately, this had massive tax implications, so Anna left Avon and started travelling to festivals around the country, doing what she wanted.

After a while Anna got bored with this and considered looking after racehorses at a local stables, but a conversation at Greystoke’s Boot and Shoe pub ­— which she took as a challenge ­— instead prompted her to start looking for a burger van to run.

As a result, along came her Mad Anna’s van, located near Penrith’s Kemplay roundabout, which very quickly gained a fantastic reputation with drivers travelling along the A66 and on the M6.

She ran regular competitions for her customers, like setting up a small putting green and challenging them to get a hole in one in order to get their food for nothing. The small sum she charged for this would go to charity.

She ran Mad Anna’s for about 18 months before her wanderlust returned. She sold her house and business and bought a large motorhome with the intention of travelling around Spain and Portugal in the winter and coming back in the spring to help out with lambing on local farms.

Unfortunately the pandemic put a stop to this, so she spent most of her time helping out on Eden farms.

She had already travelled to Spain in her smaller campervan, called Ruby, along with her two dogs Daisy and Milly. She also travelled extensively around the UK visiting places like the Gower Peninsula, Exeter and Felixstowe as well as many music festivals.

At home, Anna was a regular at the Boot and Shoe on Sunday afternoons when bands would play for two or three hours and she contributed to many wonderful music sessions.

Wherever she went she lit up the room with the force of her personality and love for life, invariably causing all present to smile. Even during the last 18 months of her life, she never stopped dancing.

The funeral service was due to be held at Eden Valley Crematorium on Friday, December 9. Richardsons Funeral Directors, Penrith, had charge of the arrangements.

Related Posts

Multiple fire crews tackle roof fire in Crosby Ravensworth
Latest

Multiple fire crews tackle roof fire in Crosby Ravensworth

30 May 2025
Penrith Beacon access closed after vandalism
Latest

Penrith Beacon access closed after vandalism

30 May 2025
Fire crews spend six hours tackling blaze at timber firm’s headquarters
Latest

Fire crews spend six hours tackling blaze at timber firm’s headquarters

29 May 2025
£15 million luxury care home plans for Penrith
Latest

£15 million luxury care home plans for Penrith

26 May 2025
Tesco Express opens doors in Penrith
Latest

Tesco Express opens doors in Penrith

23 May 2025
Jenny Wilson – teacher and stalwart of Penrith Players
Obituaries

Jenny Wilson – teacher and stalwart of Penrith Players

23 May 2025
No Result
View All Result

Stay connected

Facebook Twitter Instagram

Most popular

Penrith teen crowned British vault champion

Penrith teen crowned British vault champion

30 May 2025
Free domestic abuse support drop-in service launches in Penrith

Free domestic abuse support drop-in service launches in Penrith

30 May 2025
Sheep showing season begins

Sheep showing season begins

30 May 2025
Fire crews spend six hours tackling blaze at timber firm’s headquarters

Fire crews spend six hours tackling blaze at timber firm’s headquarters

29 May 2025
Penrith Beacon access closed after vandalism

Penrith Beacon access closed after vandalism

30 May 2025
Multiple fire crews tackle roof fire in Crosby Ravensworth

Multiple fire crews tackle roof fire in Crosby Ravensworth

30 May 2025
Cumberland and Westmorland Herald Logo

33 Middlegate
Penrith
Cumbria
CA11 7SY

Phone: 01768 862313
Email: news@cwherald.com

Registered in England as Barrnon Media Limited. No: 12475190
VAT registration number: 343486488

Explore

  • News
  • Sport
  • Farming
  • Property
  • Obituaries
  • Nostalgia
  • Your view

Useful links

  • Contact us
  • Photosales
  • Online archive
  • Buy your paper
  • Digital edition
  • North Lakes Living
  • Advertise
  • About us

Follow us on

© Barrnon Media Limited 2020

Terms & Conditions / Privacy Policy / Cookie Policy

This website and its associated newspaper are members of the Independent Press Standards Organisation
IPSO Logo
Review Your Cart
0
Discount
Add Coupon Code
Subtotal
Total Installment Payments
Bundle Discount
Checkout

 
0
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Obituaries
  • Nostalgia
  • Online archive
  • more
    • North Lakes Living
    • Buy Photos
    • Buy your paper
    • About us
    • Contact us

© 2020 Cumberland & Westmorland Herald