A Forterra Area Sales Manager is gearing up to run 220 miles in seven days with his childhood friend to raise money for charity, following live-saving surgery on the baby son of one of his friend.
Area Sales Manager Gary Bell and his friend Corporal Andy Price, a Weapons Technician with the RAF, and will be running 32 miles a day across the Great Glen Way in Scotland at the end of May, from Lossiemouth to Ronald MacDonald House in Glasgow, a charity which provides free accommodation to parents when their children are hospitalised.
The pair, who both attended The Long Eaton School in the 1980s and were also Sea Scouts together, are making the epic run to thank the charity for the support Andy received when his son, Callum, was ill. Callum was born at Dr Gray’s Hospital in Elgin, in 2016, but had to be airlifted to the Royal Children’s hospital in Glasgow for an operation to save his life.
Following the operation, baby Callum stayed in the hospital for three months, meaning frequent travelling and nights away from home for his parents, at Ronald MacDonald House.
Andy said, “The trauma of the events with Callum, coupled with him being in hospital over 200 miles away from home was naturally a struggle. But the stress and upheaval was made infinitely easier by the work of Ronald MacDonald House in Glasgow.
“Gary and I wanted to support this charity, and the long distance run seemed like a really good challenge for us both. It’s not something either of us have done before, and it won’t be easy. Hopefully people will be supportive of us and the charity”.
Andy and Gary have so far raised more than £2,000 and are hoping to raise more than £3,000, all of which will go to Ronald MacDonald House. Each year Ronald MacDonald House provides help to more than 7,000 families with hospitalised children.
Gary, who is based at Forterra’s Bison Precast works in Hoveringham, said, “Andy and I have known each other since school, and we’ve run a few marathons together for various causes, but this is the biggest challenge we’ve ever faced. He asked if I wanted to do it and I’m very happy to take part, and my work colleagues have also helped out by donating.”
Andy and Gary will set off from Lossiemouth on Saturday 26th May, and aim to finish at Ronald MacDonald House in Glasgow on Friday June 1st.
To donate to Andy and Gary’s efforts, visit: www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/thebigrun-2018
For more information about the Ronald MacDonald House charity, visit www.rmhc.org.uk/