Local man, Tom Spreyer, is raising money to support Ashgate Hospice. He will be taking part in the Two Oceans Ultra Marathon in Cape Town, South Africa on 30th March 2013. This is much longer than the normal marathon distance of 26 miles. Although he has never run a marathon before, he has been training hard, pounding the London Streets after work and through the hills and valleys of the Peak District at weekends. He expects to complete the 35 marathon mile run in 6 hours. In preparation for this massive challenge, he has already taken part in the Cambridge Boundary Run, and will undertake the VO2 Cycle Sportive on 10th March.
Although Tom now teaches in London, he remains a regular visitor to Derbyshire, where his family still lives. He has been a prominent member of the Peak District climbing fraternity since his teenage years, and continues to follow this enthusiasm. He has introduced many of his pupils to the joys of the Peak District through the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme, which he supervises. Always ready to take up challenges, Tom has taken part in climbing expeditions to several remote parts of the world and led an expedition to Greenland. After graduating, he spent 18 months at the other side of the world with the British Antarctic Survey.
Having experienced the support given by the Hospice to a family member, Tom wanted to do something to help. Like many other institutions, Ashgate has been seriously affected by recent public sector cuts. Although it is funded partly through the NHS and partly by Macmillan, this funding is insufficient and the Hospice needs to raise more funds on its own account to continue to operate. As an independent registered charity covering North Derbyshire, it provides specialist palliative care to terminally ill adults and their families, and aims to maintain the best quality of life throughout illness. All services are provided free of charge. It has the mammoth task of finding £2.7 million annually from voluntary donations in order to maintain the current level of service.
If any readers would like to support this charity, they can do so through Tom’s webpage – www.justgiving.com/Tom-Spreyer, or indeed directly through www.ashgatehospice.org
Further information about the South African Marathon can be found at www.twooceansmarathon.org.za
