Former Samlesbury army medic Spencer McBride has turned his daily exercise ration into a call of duty to support frontline staff working for Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
The 44-year-old, who made two tours of Iraq, two tours of Kosovo and one of Afghanistan during his seven years of service with the Royal Army Medical Corps, is now running 10k every morning at 9-30 am carrying a 15kg weighted rucksack in the hope those, who see him through their windows or while undertaking their own exercise, will sponsor him through his online giving page at https://www.gofundme.com/f/10k-a-day-every-day-for-NHS
Spencer, who has so far raised £630 but has set himself a £3,000 target, said: “I now work for a company that makes warm roofs for conservatories and we’ve been told to stay at home like most people. You watch the news and see the challenges facing the NHS and its frontline staff. I fought a war in other countries yet they are fighting one on our own shores.
“My daily 10ks are my way of supporting their efforts at a local level by donating what I raise to Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust to spend on looking after frontline staff at the Royal Preston and Chorley and South Ribble Hospitals. I am also donating to welfare projects for staff at the Royal Blackburn Hospital where my sister works in administration.”
Spencer added: “I will continue running my 10ks until I have to go back to work. I have four or five routes that I rotate and already, I have people coming to their doors and waving as I run by. My original thought though was to run a daily marathon but the time allowance for exercise isn’t enough whereas I can complete my 10ks in around 44 minutes.”
Helping to keep Spencer going is his former school friend Charlotte Kershaw. Charlotte has her own sports education and rehabilitation company, CRI Sports, and has been video messaging Spencer with exercises to help him overcome a minor knee injury. Charlotte said: “It’s great that Spencer is doing this. I have known him a long time and I hope people will get behind him.”
Paula Wilson, Head of Charities and Fundraising for Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We are very impressed by Spencer’s commitment to help us and we wish him well. I guess if anyone appreciates the stresses our frontline clinical teams are under at this moment in time, it’s Spencer through his work as an army medic.”