Fundraising firefighter determined to complete series of endurance challenges

A Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service firefighter is nearing the end of a series of endurance challenges in aid of two worthy causes.

Crewe Fire Station’s Blue Watch Crew Manager Richard Douglas has vowed to complete seven challenges in a bid to raise at least £1,000 to be shared between the Tiny Changes mental health charity and Hope House children’s hospice.

Richard has completed five of them and, with him being short of the magic £1,000 mark as he prepares for the final two, he is appealing for people to make a donation via the crowdfunding page that has been set up for the series of charity challenges.

The dad-of-three, who lives in Nantwich, said: “The final two challenges are a 34-mile Sandstone Trail Ultra Marathon on Saturday 28 August 2021 and the MBNA Chester Marathon on Sunday 3 October 2021.

“I am determined to complete them both and raise at least £1,000 for Tiny Changes and Hope House.

“Tiny Changes is a mental health charity that was set up by the family of Scott Hutchison, the lead singer of Scottish band Frightened Rabbit, after he took his own life at the age of 36 in May 2018.

“I was lucky enough to meet him several times. He was someone I admired, and his music still means a lot to me.

“The charity focuses on children and young people, in the firm belief that it is the right of every child to have good mental health and the opportunity to lead happy and fulfilled lives as adults.

“Hope House is a children’s hospice in Oswestry that supports terminally ill children and young people in Cheshire, Shropshire and mid and north Wales.

“It also now has a sister site in Wales.

“Hope House cares for babies, children, young people and young adults who have life-threatening conditions and are not expected to live beyond the age of 25.

“It also offers counselling and bereavement support to any family living in the area who has suffered the death of a child in any circumstance.

“The hospice gave an exceptional level of care to the daughter of a friend of mine.

“I would love nothing more than to raise a substantial amount of money for the charities. Doing the seven tough challenges is a small price to pay for that as far as I’m concerned.”

The first five challenges were:

• The Mow Cop Killer Mile on Saturday 24 April 2021
• A Hanchurch Woods 5k trail run on Monday 26 April 2021
• A Helsby Hill 10k trail run on Thursday 29 April 2021
• A cross country half marathon over the Shropshire Hills on Tuesday 4 May 2021
• The Cholmondeley Castle Marathon on Sunday 20 June 2021.

Anyone willing to make a donation for Richard’s series of charity challenges can do so via his JustGiving page. The link is https://www.justgiving.com/team/richsrunsforfunds.

Richard said: “Any donations will be much appreciated, and will be put to very good use by the charities.”

You can follow his training progress and challenges on Starva. The link for that is:

https://www.strava.com/athletes/55151366

Pictured - Crew Manager Richard Douglas at the top of Helsby Hill following the 10k trial run in April.