Community
Speedo Mick wants supporters to cross the finish line with him on his final trek
1 year ago
Speedo Mick is now on the final stretch of his final trek
Speedo Mick says he wants supporters to join him as he crosses the finish line on what will be his final fundraising trek.
Speedo Mick is just a week and less than 100 miles away from completing his stomp from John O’Groats to Land’s End in Cornwall.
It’s been a gruelling 1000-mile challenge that began in freezing temperatures at the start of the year and has included climbing the three peaks of Ben Nevis, Scarfell Pike and Snowdon.
Now with the end so close, and his £200,000 fundraising target also in sight, Mick is keen to get as many people involved as possible for the last leg.
“I want as many people as we can get to walk over the line with me, whether it’s the last mile or just the last few feet, or even the last whole day if they feel like it,” he says.
“Usually, I have a crowd standing and watching while I do it but because this is the last one I don’t want that this time. It’ll be more exciting and the atmosphere will be even better if we all do it together.
“I think it’ll be boss and it’s about everyone joining in. It doesn’t have to be a 1,000-mile walk, it’s just the inclusion and everyone feeling like they’ve been a part of it even if it’s only for five minutes.
“People drove for miles on the last one so maybe if they live near, or they’re already on holiday because it’s a Bank Holiday weekend, then they could walk with me and get on the telly!”
Speedo Mick says he hopes taking part might give some supporters a boost themselves too.
“It might give them a little lift because that’s what I hear all the time on these walks. I had a man recently who’d been diagnosed with terminal cancer and he’s just signed up for a 10k in Bristol with his wife. He told me he’d done that because of me, he’s living his life, and he brought his whole family out to see me because they’ve all been affected.
“Then there was a girl who wasn’t really getting out or exercising and she brought her two kids out to see me. They were about seven and nine, and the little boy said, ‘you’re going out walking now aren’t you mum, because of him?’ So it’s having a positive impact on other people and on the kids as well.”
The final push for Mick’s walk will be on Saturday April 29 when he’ll set off from Penzance to Land’s End in one of just two remaining pairs of trademark blue Speedos.
He plans to announce a meeting point there on Facebook and Twitter so supporters can get together, and there’s a live tracker on social media so they can keep up with his progress.
This last stomp has already raised more than £185,000 so there’s less than £15,000 to go to hit his £200,000 target. That would bring his overall fundraising total to an incredible £1million.
“I remember when I first started doing this seven years ago, two fellas from Everton asked me what my plan was for fundraising,” he says. “At that point I’d only done a few games and made a few quid in a bucket from fans outside the ground.
“I told them I didn’t really have a plan so they said, ‘well what would you like to achieve?’. I said, ‘I want to raise £1million’ and we’re nearly there. That’ll be amazing, it really will.”