Andy’s 5,000-mile charity campaign for Kirkwood

Andy Wright, 48, of Bracken Close, kicks off his charity campaign on Sunday when he takes part in the 26-mile Yorkshire Marathon in York.

His self-created challenge is the equivalent of running 190 marathons – around 80 miles every month for 60 months.

“I’ve been running for a few years but not for that long. About five to six years ago I didn’t want to become an overweight, middle-aged guy and was at a crossroads.”

He was inspired by a colleague who was attempting to run 1,000 miles in a year and decided to try a longer version. He calculatedhis distance at around the same as running from the hospice to the Grand Canyon in the USA.

“I can’t quit my job and run to the Grand Canyon but I can do the distance,” he said.

People close to Mr Wright have been treated at Kirkwood Hospice and he said: “I’ve seen what an amazing place it is. You’ve got to be a particular person to work in that environment but what I can do is run so I wanted to do my bit.”

Important to his efforts is getting people on board with the Kirkwood Hospice ‘Friends’ scheme, where an individual’s chosen amount of money per month can be donated to the charity – but givers are able to track his progress.

Mr Wright is hoping to get 200 followers offering £2 per month and thinks them being able to see the 83 miles he will be running in that time would be an incentive.

Dewsbury and Mirfield MP Paula Sherriff was the first person to sign up as an Andy’s Friends of Kirkwood Hospice member this week.

To do this, email him at [email protected]

Visit www.justgiving.com/andy5000 or follow his Twitter page @andy5000miles and use #Kirkwood5000