The Dave Clarke Challenge
Dave Clarke has been supporting East Lancashire Hospice for a number of years, raising money in memory of his mother who used the services in 2014.
“My Mum, Margaret Clarke was in the hospice for three days. After seeing how she was cared for by all the staff, it became important to the family to say a thank you in a way that would help other patients.” Dave commented.
The first big event the family organised was for Dave’s 40th birthday, holding a charity birthday party. Dave’s brother Allan, who is 3 years older also celebrates his birthday at the same time. “After that we just got the bug! We wanted to raise as much as we could each year after that.”
The following year was the National Three Peaks Challenge, then the Yorkshire 3 Peaks. The Pandemic couldn’t even stop Dave. Even though he couldn’t leave the house, he completed a 9 hour challenge during Lockdown.
Dave explained the lockdown challenge, “I went on the treadmill, did step ups and a work out for the full nine hours. My wife, Adele streamed it live on Facebook and even my son Max, who was only ten at the time, joined in with me.
“Last year I managed the West Highland Way. That’s a full 96 miles, with Ben Nevis as extra at the end of the route, but this year we have set ourselves a really hard challenge.”
Dave will be joined once again by his brother Allan, who has completed all the other challenges with him, and six other friends whilst they complete the Welsh 3000. The Welsh 3000s is a 51kilometre trek through 3 mountain ranges and climbing 15 mountains, all above 3000 feet, and the aim is to complete this under 24 hours.
Dave clarified; “Make no mistake, this is a very tough challenge, which will require some intense training to get up to the needed fitness levels, but as I’ve always said, my motivation to raise money for the hospice drives me on and I consider it a pleasure to be able to help out. The work that the hospice does in caring for their patients is incredible.”
July 30th is the date they have set and it is creeping up, but they have been training. The Cumbrian Way has seen them all this last few months, as have the Yorkshire Peaks, which must feel tame by comparison to what they hope to achieve.
Dave added a twist to the challenge, “We will be doing the challenge in Blackburn shirts and wearing Robbie Savage wigs. After all, he is a Welsh man who played for Blackburn and we’re from Blackburn walking around Wales.”
Dave and Allan no longer live in the area, but they value the hospice and the care their mother received. They have raised £15,000 so far and want to keep raising more.
He continued, “We know it costs more than £10,000 to run the hospice per day. We want to raise enough to pay for the care our mother received during her three days. This is a collective team effort to reach that £30,000 target.”
To support Dave and Allan Clarke and their friends, visit his Just giving Page on David Clarke is fundraising for The East Lancashire Hospice (justgiving.com)