Every day between now and Christmas Mark Perry will go the extra mile for the charity he loves and works for.
Despite chronic osteoarthritis as a result of Chrohn’s Disease, Mark will run a mile every day for the next 175 days to raise money for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance.
He is supporting the ‘175 Campaign’ – a major, six-month appeal by Sheffield-based healthcare company B. Braun Medical Ltd to raise vital funds for the rapid response emergency charity.
Mark, from Barnsley, is South Yorkshire Regional Fundraiser for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance, having worked for them for the last 7 years.
He said: “It seems a long time until the last run on Christmas Day but I’m determined to complete the challenge. It will be huge because I do have bad osteoarthritis as a result of my Chrohn’s Disease.
“But, it was a choice between giving up chocolate for 175 days or running a mile a day – and it was never going to be the chocolate!
“In my role as the South Yorkshire Regional Fundraiser I see every day the efforts people go to, to support the Yorkshire Air Ambulance, raising money in brilliantly different ways. I
thought it was about time I did something too – it’ll be nice to present a cheque, rather than collecting one on behalf of the charity!”
The ‘175 Campaign’ encourages people across the region to donate a minimum of £1.75 each to help organisers reach the total in time for Christmas.
Mark and the Yorkshire Air Ambulance will be keeping supporters up to date with his progress through their social media channels.
Yorkshire Air Ambulance has carried more than 5,500 people in its 13-year history. It needs to raise £9,990 each day to keep its two helicopters in the air and maintained – equivalent to £3.6 million each year.
Without any direct government funding, the only help the charity receives is through the secondment of its paramedics from the Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust.
B. Braun Medical Ltd has been a key supporter for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance since 2000, providing both donations and in-kind services for the charity.
For more information about the campaign visit www.justgiving.com/The175Campaign, follow @The175Campaign on Twitter or like www.facebook.com/the175campaign.