Mayor Begins 100 Mile Walk For Life Campaign

22nd January 201723rd January 2017 Claire Meese

Belper Town Mayor Gary Spendlove will be starting the Epic 100 Miles ‘Walk for Life’ at 9:00am from the Strutts Centre on Derby Road, Belper on Sunday 29th January.

The route will encompass many of the towns and cities of Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire over a seven-day period, returning to Belper on the afternoon of Saturday 4th February.

On the walk, they will be calling at several hospitals to promote donor card awareness. Sponsors are also invited to donate towards four transplant charitable organisations and to sign up to be a Donor.

Several months ago, Gary was delighted to meet up with Simon Elmore who had received a donated kidney that completely changed his life and progressed to become a gold medallist at the world transplant games. Gary says: “Simon has been the inspiration for this epic walk and we sincerely hope that the effort may save lives in the future”.

A considerable number of local groups will walk at least part of the route on Sunday and join in at other stages on the walk. Many thanks to Dave Ashley and the many Rotarians who will be involved over the seven-day period. Everyone is welcome to join us for the start from the Strutts Centre in Belper.

Gary says: “I sincerely feel that there are people out there whose lives will be changed by what we are trying to achieve”.

Please see their Facebook page Walk For Life 100 miles to view the route and updates at https://www.facebook.com/walkforlife100miles.

To donate to these worthy causes, please visit our just giving website. https://www.justgiving.com/companyteams/TheEpicWalkForLife

Hi,we are making good progress,and are sleeping tonight at the Twin Oaks Hotel near junction 29 on the M1.First call yesterday was at the butchers in Two Dales.The guy we met had had a transplant,so we started the day with a really inspiring story.Next a strenuous climb towards Beeley moor,It left me wishing I was a bit fitter,lighter and 30 years younger.Fog was getting much more dense with some snow and ice.Had to step off the road a lot due to heavy traffic.Breaking step continuously slowed us down so felt glad of a cup of tea,provided by Dave Ashley and Maggie in our support car.Our hope of a solid 3mph pace was clearly not happening!Next crossroads we were stopped by a couple in a car with a donation for the bucket.Their 2 year old Grandson had recently had a heart transplant.My son Ashley,Simon and looked each other but none of us could speak for a few minutes.I felt a desperate need to offer a prayer and thought hard about the support and powerful presence of the many churchs,priests,pastors who gave us such impetous on the previous day.I was starting to increase my respect as Simon was carrying the bucket,cars were stopping or pulling into side roads and lay-byes to donate..Wow,what a guy!We were overtaken by a very nice car,that pulled into a gateway some distance in front and under some overhanging fir trees.By now Simon was in overdrive with the collection bucket.A tap on the window would surely result in at least another fiver for our worthey crusade.Dissappointingly we had approached a couple who were clearly intending to be at the least,very good friends.I did not catch all of the conversation but the second word sounded like off!!
Next a knee wrenching decent to Chesterfield and my constitutional whipping by Simon at the ten pin bowling alley.The purpose of this visit is to demonstrate that competitive sport may be enjoyed after transplant surgery.A young lady told me about her double transplant and her determination to compete at the World Transplant Games.We were really pleased to meet up will some fine guys from the Chesterfield Scarsdale Rotary Club.Thanks to these Rotarians for navigating us around the town and escorting us to the Main hospital and our visit to the Renal unit.Talking to the staff and dialysis patients enforced the knowledge the we should do everything possible to empower our wonderful NHS,to continue its vital work.Leaving the hospital we had about 4 more miles to our accommodation.Realising that due to a diversion we could not walk on our planned route,the end leg became somewhat painful seven miles.The end of the days walking left us a little bit more blistered,a little bit more educated a lot more grateful for the support and goodwill from our many friends,Thankyou.

One thought on “Mayor Begins 100 Mile Walk For Life Campaign”

Gary Spendlove

31st January 2017 at 5:36 am

Hi,we are making good progress,and are sleeping tonight at the Twin Oaks Hotel near junction 29 on the M1.First call yesterday was at the butchers in Two Dales.The guy we met had had a transplant,so we started the day with a really inspiring story.Next a strenuous climb towards Beeley moor,It left me wishing I was a bit fitter,lighter and 30 years younger.Fog was getting much more dense with some snow and ice.Had to step off the road a lot due to heavy traffic.Breaking step continuously slowed us down so felt glad of a cup of tea,provided by Dave Ashley and Maggie in our support car.Our hope of a solid 3mph pace was clearly not happening!Next crossroads we were stopped by a couple in a car with a donation for the bucket.Their 2 year old Grandson had recently had a heart transplant.My son Ashley,Simon and looked each other but none of us could speak for a few minutes.I felt a desperate need to offer a prayer and thought hard about the support and powerful presence of the many churchs,priests,pastors who gave us such impetous on the previous day.I was starting to increase my respect as Simon was carrying the bucket,cars were stopping or pulling into side roads and lay-byes to donate..Wow,what a guy!We were overtaken by a very nice car,that pulled into a gateway some distance in front and under some overhanging fir trees.By now Simon was in overdrive with the collection bucket.A tap on the window would surely result in at least another fiver for our worthey crusade.Dissappointingly we had approached a couple who were clearly intending to be at the least,very good friends.I did not catch all of the conversation but the second word sounded like off!!
Next a knee wrenching decent to Chesterfield and my constitutional whipping by Simon at the ten pin bowling alley.The purpose of this visit is to demonstrate that competitive sport may be enjoyed after transplant surgery.A young lady told me about her double transplant and her determination to compete at the World Transplant Games.We were really pleased to meet up will some fine guys from the Chesterfield Scarsdale Rotary Club.Thanks to these Rotarians for navigating us around the town and escorting us to the Main hospital and our visit to the Renal unit.Talking to the staff and dialysis patients enforced the knowledge the we should do everything possible to empower our wonderful NHS,to continue its vital work.Leaving the hospital we had about 4 more miles to our accommodation.Realising that due to a diversion we could not walk on our planned route,the end leg became somewhat painful seven miles.The end of the days walking left us a little bit more blistered,a little bit more educated a lot more grateful for the support and goodwill from our many friends,Thankyou.