Like many people, I wanted to undertake a personal
challenge for 2017.  If my challenge not only bring benefits
to myself and my health, but also benefits people in our local area,
2017 would be a good year!

As most of our friends will remember in 2016 Zoe and I
did 51 5 kilometre runs in 51 days to raise money for a couple of charities close to our hearts.  I wanted to do something similar in 2017 but I wanted to raise cash for a charity much more local and one where any money raised would make a real difference.  I asked some of our friends locally about local charities and then by chance I had a chat with a friend Simon Robertson who I know from the tennis club.

Simon told me about a local charity that had had a major influence
on him and his family, his story goes like this;

“When my father in law first had his stroke several years ago, it left him paralysed down one side with no speech. 

Overnight, his wife had to become his carer &, after an initial couple of months of NHS support, they were left to cope on their own. 

There was very little support available to either of them - that is until they found the Stroke support group in Market Drayton. 

This facility provided a vital lifeline at a time when they needed it most, as it has done for countless others over the years. 

They provide a haven where stroke sufferers can develop strategies to rebuild their confidence & begin to communicate with the outside world again, & a vital lifeline of support for their carers, to help reduce the loneliness & isolation that many sufferers & their families feel in this situation”.

This story was the push I needed to make my next challenge a reality. 

I spoke to the leaders of the group and talked to them about what I had in mind. They told me about the kind of work they do and the support they provide to people who have suffered a stroke. 
They also told me about the work they have to do to raise much needed
funds to keep the group going.  All hard work I now understand.

My challenge is to do 100 10 kilometre runs in 2017!  I will be doing most of them either around Market Drayton or in Shrewsbury, but some will have to be done wherever I may be in order to fit them in during the year. 
I am planning to do some organised runs over the course of the year too,
I am already signed up for the 10k in Market Drayton and Shrewsbury but plan some others and a few organised Half Marathons for good measure!

I am doing all this running to help support the Stroke group in Market Drayton which has recently joined with the Dysphasia group and is part of the national Stroke Association.

I am looking for support wherever I can get it!  Over to YOU!

I would be really grateful for your support and I equally know the stroke sufferers around Market Drayton would be even more appreciative.

I look forward receiving your support.  Finally if any of you want to
join me on a run you have plenty of opportunities!  I will post updates of my progress on this site so you can see what’s happening.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.