College lecturer making great strides for charities

College lecturer Dave Fitzgerald is making great strides in raising much-needed funds for two local charities.

Dave, a lecturer in early years health and care at St Helens College is taking part in his own 365 Day Challenge.

Dave said: “I have raised money for a few years now having ran my first marathon in 2018, then an ultra marathon (from London-Brighton – 100km) in 2019. Obviously the pandemic has halted most plans to raise funds but after having a lot of time to think, I have come up with a crazy challenge, which is to run a minimum of 5km every day throughout 2021.

“I have now completed over 50 days and it has been an amazing experience already with lots of highs and lows. I have ran in what it seems every type of weather so far from 40mph winds, frost, ice, snow and torrential rain.

“I usually raise money for Cancer Research UK (CRUK) which is close to my heart. My dad has had cancer four times and received incredible care from CRUK nurses as well as my auntie who had to have life saving treatment for stomach cancer.

“I have also chosen to raise money for the ADAM (Achieving Dreams and Memories) Foundation, a charity set up by the family of Adam Ellison, the 29-year-old who was stabbed to death in Prescot in 2017.

“I first heard about Adam’s story in November 2018 when the college were taking part in a song for Adam (Stand By Me) to raise awareness of knife crime. Since hearing about him, it has always been close to my heart.

 “I started playing for the Adam Foundation football team when it was first set up and it has been an incredible honour. I want to try and help the family and foundation in anyway I can and doing this gruelling challenge will hopefully help. Raising money for these two incredible charities is what drives me forward.

“I will run a minimum of 5km EVERY DAY throughout 2021 although there will be days where I run more i.e. I will be running some 10km’s, half-marathons throughout the year. By doing the minimum of 5km, that will be the equivalent of 1.825 million meters. This is like running to Naples, Italy!

“I will be finding out what I have raised on New Years Day 2022 and splitting whatever I raise equally to the ADAM Foundation and Cancer Research UK.” If want to sponsor Dave or want any further information you can go to Dave’s gofundme page at: www.gofundme.com/f/running-every-day