A LONG COMPTON fundraiser has challenged himself to cover 40 miles on foot in under eight hours to raise money for radio equipment for Heart of England Mencap.
Gary Stokes, 43, who works for the National Grid in Warwick, will set out on the Coventry Way Challenge on April 3 and is hoping to run at least two thirds of the route and walk whenever running is not possible.
The equipment he wants to purchase will go to help the people he met back in December when he spent a day volunteering with the charity through his employer.
He was one of small team from National Grid who helped put on a Christmas party for adults with learning disabilities supported by HofE Mencap’s day activity service, Pathway.
His goal is to raise £1,500 to buy radio equipment to be used by Pathway customers – an activity high on the ‘to-do’ list they have created themselves.
The 40 mile route starts and ends in Meriden, following a 40 mile circular long distance footpath up and over the surrounding countryside.
“I have taken part before, but walking much of the way so my real aim this time is to run most of it, at least two-thirds of the distance, and to finish in under eight hours which will certainly be a challenge,” Mr Stokes said.
“If I can reach my fundraising target and raise enough money to fund the radio equipment it would be amazing. I met such a lovely bunch of people when I volunteered. I was doing something very small, but it made a really big difference to the quality of people’s lives and that was incredibly rewarding. I know first-hand how much this radio equipment would mean and to fundraise knowing exactly where the money will be going is a massive motivator.”
National Grid, where he works as the customer strategy manager, will match-fund anything he raises up to a maximum of £400.
Cath Errington, fundraising manager for Heart of England Mencap, said: “We are so grateful to Gary and to National Grid for their support. We are a small charity and fundraising like this really does make a huge difference to us and to the lives of the people we are here to support.”
Anyone wishing to make a donation towards Mr Stokes' challenge can do so by going to his fundraising page at: https://www.justgiving.com/garystokesACW2016
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