The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
Locked down but still The acts of kindness supporting the community across Peterborough keep coming...
By PT reporters
Fundraisers and volunteers are not letting the lockdown get them down when it comes to supporting good causes.
A runner in Peterborough is pushing himself to run 5k every single day during lockdown with his challenge now entering its third week.
Gavin Jinks, from Werrington, is not letting sore knees get in the way of his attempts to raise money for Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice which is suffering a funding crisis, and last week had to close its doors to new admissions due to an outbreak of coronavirus.
The 33-year-old said he had never needed the support of the hospice in Longthorpe, but that it offered such great care to residents from in and around Peterborough that he was determined to help.
He said: “I’ve been fortunate I’ve not needed any first-hand experience with Thorpe Hall hospice, but being Peterborough born and it’s impossible not to be aware of Thorpe Hall and all that it does.
“The fact is so many people in Peterborough and the surrounding areas have been touched by Sue Ryder. I was reading the PT article that it needed funding so I thought ‘maybe there’s something I can do to raise some funds?’
“I do enjoy running - I had trained to do last year’s cancelled Great Eastern Run and was meant to be running the Milton Keynes marathon on the Sunday just gone.
“There was something on my mind that I wanted to do a running challenge, and over the Easter weekend I was chatting to my wife in the garden about ways of raising money using running. That’s where the 5k every day came from.”
Gavin is now entering his third week of his challenge and is starting to feel the effects on his muscles, meaning he more than many others is hoping to see travel restrictions lifted - the moment he considers the lockdown to have ended.
“My friends teased me relentlessly as pretty soon after my announcement that I would be doing this the Government announced it would be another three weeks minimum of lockdown,” he said.
“5k is a reasonable distance which I can do in the time of the government guidelines of how much exercise you should do each day.
“Towards the back end of last week my legs started to get really sore. My fitness is okay but recovery for my muscles is taking longer and longer. My legs are getting heavier every day.
“I’m okay at the moment, but if restrictions last until September I will have to reevaluate.”
Gavin wanted to thank his friend Daniel Irwin for all the support he has given him since the start of his challenge.
And he added: “I would like to convey my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has donated so far.
“The support has been amazing and the generosity shown has blown me away given these difficult times we are in.”
To donate to Gavin’s fundraising appeal, visit: https:// www.justgiving.com/fundraising/gavinsquaruntine.
Finding ways to celebrate
• your birthday may be difficult during the current lockdown, but one Whittlesey resident has decided on a novel approach by starting his 46th year on an indoor bike as he aims to complete a 24hr indoor ride in aid of local volunteers.
Forget beer or wine, the only liquids David Edis will be tasting on Saturday are water and perspiration as he aims to complete a staggering 400 miles in a day.
Beginning at 4pm, David will take to his turbo trainer which will be linked to the internet to track how far he has ridden during the challenge.
Indoor bikes have bebred come a growing trend during the coronavirus pandemic, both for athletes competing against each other and for residents seeking a form of home exercise.
And David said he has taken inspiration from Tour de France winner Geraint Thomas who completed three gruelling 12 hour rides in consecutive days to raise money for the NHS, albeit the soon-to-be 45-year-old will be raising money for Helping Whittlesey alongside fellow members of Whittlesey Wheelers.
Explaining why he was preparing to put himself through such a gruelling challenge, David said: “I wanted to do something quite challenging and I’ve never done anything like this. The longest I’ve spent on the turbo trainer is six hours but I wanted to do something out of the ordinary.
“I’m a strong cyclist and was going to cycle from coast to coast this year - 156 miles in a day. I was also going to do a race in the French Alps, while I’m a keen runner as well and on May 16 was scheduled to do an ultra marathon.
“This is going to be hard it will be a battle of mind over body. “
“I will set up a webcam so people can send me messages and encouragement.
“Some of the people I cycle with will be joining me online. The money will go to a good cause.
“I set a target of £500 and it’s nice to see it has already been hit.”
David admitted he will be disappointed with anything less than 400 miles during his 24 hour challenge which will see him take short breaks every 50 miles or so.
He added: “It will be a birthday I won’t forget. My wife thinks I’m mad!”