A GROUP of volunteers were pushed to their limits as they completed a daunting challenge to raise money for a Reading-based charity.
The quest saw 46 people cover 100km from Pewsey railway station, Wiltshire, to Reading town centre in 24 hours – all in benefit of Chapter 2, which runs a mentorship programme for boys growing up without fathers.
An impressive 33 participants completed the Ridgeway Challenge, with the lead group, who opted to run the course, arriving at Reading at 1am.
The group were able to surpass their initial target of £100,000.
Dr Richard Kay, chair and founder of Chapter 2, said: “It was pretty brutal, the hardest thing I’ve ever done. It was around 130,000 steps which was just really punishing on the feet, everyone’s covered in blisters.
“It was a great day, with good people together. It really was a great achievement for those who did it.
“When you think about the lifetime of pain a young boy has to endure, it’s a privilege to take some of the pain, even just for 100km.”
The effort was part of the charity’s annual Father’s Day Challenge, with the charity completing 24 peaks in 24 hours and The Welsh 3000s in previous years.
Although the 2023 challenge proved to be a slightly flatter proposition, the sheer length of the route made it both physically and mentally taxing.
Dr Kay explained: “A large part of it is mental. It comes in waves, you feel OK, then end up dropping off the pace a bit – but there was never a point when I thought I wouldn’t finish.
“There were definitely some darker moments where I thought, ‘I’m never doing this again’, it was really grim at points. It was a 10,000-calorie day, you just can’t get enough calories in.”
He crossed the finish line with his 15-year-old son, the only child to do the challenge. Dr Kay described feeling proud of his son’s effort and said that he “fared better” than he did.
Data shows a strong correlation between socioeconomic circumstances and cohabitation rates. Children of the wealthiest families have a 96 percent chance of living with two parents, whereas in the poorest families, that figure is just 28 percent.
Dr Kay believes the longevity of the relationships established makes Chapter2’s work impactful with mentors required to commit to a minimum of two years and many lasting until adulthood.
More than 1,500 donors made a total of £83,325 in contributions, with GiftAid taking the sum past the initial target. Many left heartwarming messages of encouragement on Chapter 2’s JustGiving page.
The majority of funds raised through the challenge will go towards bringing on more mentors.
Despite reaching their target, members of the public can still donate online.
To make a contribution, visit: https://tinyurl.com/yc3v7zfs
