Category: Challenge Series

Veteran runner Harry Newton will be there in spirit when he tackles the Virtual London Marathon on Sunday (Oct 4).

Like thousands of fellow runners, the 82-year-old cannot be in the capital and will start and finish instead at East Cheshire Hospice for which he is fundraising.

Harry, from Macclesfield, has completed the London marathon an amazing 16 times, the quickest aged 70 when he ran the course in under four hours.

He averages 100 miles a month in training and will settle for a time of around five and a half hours this time.

Organisers of the marathon, postponed from April, are only allowing elite runners to run the course because of Covid-19.

However, Harry, like other virtual entrants, will get an official time – and a medal  – by recording his time on an app.

He will undertake four circuits of a route to Henbury.

Harry said: “I ran a marathon round my garden on the day the race should have taken place in April.

“It’s a shame I can’t be there but I’ve got an entry for future London marathons and will keep going as long as I can.

“The Hospice does amazing work and any donations will keep me going when it gets tough in the last few miles.”

Harry, a retired grocer and sub-postmaster, had to miss the race in 2009 when he was diagnosed with lymphoma.

* To sponsor him visit justgiving.com/fundraising/harrysvirtuallondonmarathon.

Harry Newton who is running the Virtual London Marathon on Sunday October 4th 2020.

Dan Proctor has never even tackled a marathon before but is now preparing to run almost twice as far.

He plans to run 50 miles from Liverpool, where he has lived for the last year, to Macclesfield where he grew up.

The shortest route between Sefton Park and the Flower Pot pub is 39 miles but a detour via Warrington and St Helens makes his challenge even tougher.

Dan is raising funds for East Cheshire Hospice and was inspired by Carl Lamptey’s attempt to raise £1m for the Hospice.

Dan, a former Royal Engineer, works as a support worker at the David Lewis Centre in Bollington.

Friends will join him at various intervals to offer support, some undertaking the last five miles before joining him in a celebratory pint afterwards.

Girlfriend Anna Jenkins will be his support driver with a first aid kit, including plasters for the inevitable blisters, refreshments and lots of encouragement .

Dan will set off at 6.30 am on Saturday, October 17, and hopes to cross the finish line between nine and 11 hours later.

He said: “I’ve always kept myself in good shape and wanted to challenge myself. My longest training run is 15 miles but I’ll increase the distance to 35 miles beforehand.

“I’ll take my time. It’ll be a slow and steady run and will walk if necessary. One thing is for certain – I’ll be ready for a drink once it’s over.”

* To sponsor Dan visit justgiving.com/fundraising/daniel-proctor3.

Dan Proctor is aiming to run 50 miles in a single day.

Margaret Lillis saw her prayers answered when she raised £4,070 for East Cheshire Hospice where she is chaplain.

Her frustration at having to self-isolate during lockdown because she is 72 turned into a mission to help the Hospice.

Margaret’s sponsored walk over 18 consecutive days, using her age as a theme, received huge support as she smashed her £720 target.

Margaret, from Macclesfield, said: “I was gutted to be out of the Hospice at the end of March because of government guidelines and 72 seemed like a punishment.

“I wanted to do something positive so decided to walk 72,000 steps, averaging 4,000 steps a day.

“I walked round the places I know in Macclesfield, but this time there was a real point to my walking and I felt better because I was actually focussed on doing something for the Hospice.

“The good reason behind doing it really urged me on and I was staggered when the money poured in. Suddenly, 72 seemed like a gift rather than a curse!

“I want to publicly thank everyone, near and far, for responding in such an open-hearted way. This has been a hard time for people and money has been short and yet the generosity has been overwhelming.”

Margaret is now back at the Hospice offering the chaplaincy services she has provided for the last six years, the first two in a voluntary capacity.

She said: “It was hard when I was first told I couldn’t visit because I’m in there most days.

“I was concerned about not being able to see the patients and their families but the staff as well because it was a difficult time for them.

“I did write to them every day but obviously I wasn’t able to offer the same kind of support from a distance.

“Chaplaincy is about offering pastoral, spiritual and emotional support to people at the most difficult time of their lives…not only patients but their families as well.

“It was hard not being able to offer that support and be a listening ear for someone  when they were suffering the loss of their loved ones.

“Caring for our patients as well as their families is something we all take extremely seriously at East Cheshire Hospice and I’m grateful to be back there now.”

Chaplain Margaret Lillis who raised £4,070 for East Cheshire Hospice.

Lucy Coppack is taking part in #ChallengeEastCheshire this year and absolutely smashing it!

Lucy was ready to run the Wilsmlow Half Marathon at the weekend… until it got cancelled! But that didn’t stop Lucy as she decided to brave the weather and run it on her own anyway!

At a time when so many of our income streams from fundraising events are running dry, it’s really important that people like Lucy find a way to keep fundraising for us. Thank you Lucy!

Please sponsor Lucy on JustGiving at
www.justgiving.com/fundraising/lucy-coppack

This is how her day went…

 

“I was all prepared for the race, mentally and physically, had all my kit laid out, breakfast prepped, eaten and drank lots in preparation the days leading up to the half marathon. But when I woke up on Sunday morning at 7am I saw the text from the Wilmslow running festival team saying it had been cancelled due to Covid-19.

I was so gutted as I was so prepared, so I messaged my family and decided I was going to do it anyway.

So I posted some videos on social media explaining my plan…

So off I set on my 13.1 mile run, through Langley and Sutton and on the canal to Congleton and back!

The conditions were awful! It started hailing and raining on the way and the canal was sooo muddy (see pictures) I was soaking wet, then it was time to do it all again… so on my way back I was trying not to fall over… didn’t succeed as I fell over 3 times!

I was fine. Just muddy. Very muddy and wet.

Finally came to the canal in Sutton and jumped off and back up a big hill home!

I managed it though and am uploading my race, time and distance to Wilmslow running festival website so I still get my medal and t-shirt.

More to the point, whilst I was running I had people messaging me and donating as I continued the run!

I’m now at £970 for this race alone plus a £250 cheque from my work.

So, with this and my other JustGiving account and my other cheque from work last year I’m at £2301 for East Cheshire Hospice.

Needless to say, that’s not it as my aim is to raise £7500 – a day’s running cost for the Hospice. So, a bit of rest now as my other races have been postponed until autumn which is good – more time to train.”

 

If you are able, please sponsor Lucy at:

www.justgiving.com/fundraising/lucy-coppack1

 

Sailor Heather Broadbent is making a detour on her epic voyage around the globe because of the Coronavirus in China.

 

The outbreak has forced organisers of the Clipper 2019-20 Round the World Yacht Race to change the route for the 11-strong fleet.

Heather, who is aiming to raise £40,000 for the Hospice, is due to arrive in the Philippines before the weekend (Feb 15-16) on the Asia-Pacific leg of her adventure.

The fleet had intended to stop there later in the race but the visit has now been brought forward.

It is unclear whether the original destination of Sanya, a port in China, will now feature on the route.

The fleet will have an extended minimum nine-day stopover in the Philippines as organisers work on contingency plans if the route needs further amending.

Heather, a landscape gardener from Disley, is midway through her 11-month trip on board the yacht GoToBermuda and has been at sea since leaving Australia early last month.

Heather wrote in an email: “I’ve been heartbroken to hear the devastating news of the virus spreading across China with many thousands of people affected.

“This has obviously had an impact on our destinations and the Clipper Race office have been working hard to find an alternative port for us to re-stock and re-charge before we set sail across the Pacific to Seattle.

“Life on board is good after we crossed the Equator for my second time and in the close confines of a 70-foot sailing boat strong friendships are soon forged. ”

Heather’s late husband Adam (45) was a patient at the Hospice and she has already raised £25,330 towards her target.  The funds will support our

Hospice @Home service. To sponsor her visit justgiving.com/fundraising/dreamitnowdoit

Heather added: “I’m lucky to have met some incredible people who I now count as lifelong friends. I’ve visited places I’ll always remember and Cape Town and Freemantle in Australia are both highlights.

“Yesterday I saw a pod of about 10 whales blowing hard and splashing their tails, seeming to be herding huge schools of leaping tuna, apparently just for the sheer sport because whales don’t eat tuna.”