Thomas Dunning
Thomas's The Pennine Run 2021
Fundraising for Rethink Mental Illness
Story
In 1984 aged 20 my dad ran The Pennine Way, the UK’s oldest national trail, starting a story nearly 40 years in the making. Now, as I approach my 30th Birthday, I’m going to follow in his footsteps.
On 31 May 2021 I will take on the 267 mile journey from Kirk Yetholm in Scotland to Edale in England, crossing some of the most amazing natural scenery the United Kingdom has to offer.
I’ll be raising money for RETHINK, a charity which is close my heart - one that saved my life and after one evening of meeting other people with mental health problems and their carers turned my life around for the better.
The Pennines have always been a special place for me. Not only did my dad complete The Pennine Way in 1984 but my grandmother and aunt live in the Rochdale area – in fact, the first run on my road to recovery was the Rochdale 10k. Like my dad, I’m a passionate Rochdale AFC fan and we’ve travelled across the Pennines countless times over the years for home games and family visits. Every time I’d look out of the car window across the moorland thinking to myself “one day I’ll conquer that”, and finally 2021 will be the year!