Ralph inspires family to step out for charity

A YOUNG boy’s passion for exercise and fundraising has inspired his family to complete more than one million steps in a month.

Ralph McCubbin, six, from Bollinbrook, is taking part in the September challenge for mental health charity Shout.

It involves participants taking 12,000 steps every day in the month to get to a total of 360,000.

And Ralph has convinced the rest of his family to join him – dad Rob, mum Sarah and younger sister Darcy, three.

Which means between them, come September 30, the total for them should be 1,440,000. And the hope is that sponsorship means there should be lots of money raised too.

Sarah, who works as a clinical supervisor for Shout, said: “Because of what I do he has an awareness of these issues and their importance. He says that I help people who are sad.

“Throughout lockdown we did a lot of walking and while we are an active family we have gone back to more arranged activities and done less walking.

“So this is making us get out there and do it again.”

Ralph, who attends Bollinbrook Primary, got the challenge off to a good start by completing 21,000 steps on September 1.

The family’s favourite route involves going through the nearby Bollin Valley.

Earlier this year Ralph raised hundreds of pounds for charity MIND by jogging 20 miles throughout the month of February. He also plays in football for Tytherington Juniors as well as taking part in rugby, swimming and golf.

SHOUT runs a text service on number 85258 to give support to people struggling with mental health issues. To sponsor Ralph visit https://www.facebook. com/donate/363902 115254260/