Race to the Stones in Aid of Two Alzheimer's Charities




Tim Cooke is a Repro Operator at our Tamworth branch. He’s recently reached out to colleagues regarding an impressive event that he’ll soon be taking part in to support a very worthy cause.

On Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 July, Tim, his wife Lisa, her colleague David and his wife Denise will walk 100km over two days, with the aim being to complete Race to the Stones. Voted the UK’s Best Endurance Event 2018 and named the number one trail marathon, it starts in Lewknor, Oxfordshire and ends at Avebury Stone Circle. Participants can complete the route nonstop or overnight and are allowed to walk, jog or run the route.

The Ridgeway is recognised as the oldest path in the UK and along its length you can clearly see traces of generations stretching back over five millennia. Lined with Bronze Age hill forts, Neolithic burial chambers and Roman river crossings, culminating in the largest Neolithic stone circle in Europe, the route passes up and along the high ground South West from Lewknor to the Thames crossing at Goring. From this point it rises up onto the North Wessex Downs, passing golden fields before the iconic finish that invites people to walk between the towering stones of Avebury. As well as being 100km, it also includes 3,704ft of climb, making it a very demanding undertaking.

Tim and his group are tackling Race to the Stones in aid of the Lazard Charity Partnership, which raises funds for both The Alzheimer's Society and Alzheimer's Research. These charities are very close to their hearts, as the condition is currently affecting a member of Lisa’s family.

“We are hoping to raise as much money as possible to help families caring for a relative with Alzheimer's and to one day find a cure,” says Tim. “The money we raise for these organisations will make us feel that all of our hard work has been worthwhile, helping to progress research into this terrible illness that we have seen first-hand.”

Tim adds that he hasn’t taken part in an event that is as extreme as this before: “I have done a few 10k running races but I feel this is quite a step up. My wife doesn't have any running background, so she has had to make more progress than me.”

The group is currently training by taking regular walks. This started in the new year and they have now got to a distance of 21 miles. They all live close to the Peak District, which means that there’s no shortage of scenic routes on their doorstep, plus they’re also walking 25 miles from Derby to Ashbourne and back, staying overnight in Ashbourne, in preparation for the big event.

We asked Tim what he’s looking forward to the most: “If it’s dry, any walk is enjoyable, I just like being out in the countryside. There will be a buzz of a race environment and as we are walking I am sure we will meet and chat to people along the way.”

The challenge has been set up by Lisa's employer, David Barber Occupational Health, who kindly paid for the four to enter the event. If you’d like to help them achieve their target of £900, you can donate through their JustGiving page.

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