A charity fundraiser from Wednesfield has powered through a mammoth challenge for the Good Shepherd’s Miles into Meals campaign for 2024, completing over 200 miles in the month and raising a fantastic total of over £3,000.
Ade Doughty, who turned 50 last year, and has previously carried out many similar challenges for different charities, was supported by several of his friends who also covered substantial distances and supported him in his quest which included a mix of walking, cycling and open water swimming.
All the funds raised will go towards the Good Shepherd’s free-to-access food and support services which are delivered to people from Wolverhampton experiencing homelessness and disadvantage, including the recently relaunched Breakfast Club which offers breakfast, a shower and change of clothes to people who have been sleeping rough the night before.
“I’ve got to be honest, completing 200 miles in 31 days was a heck of a challenge and there were some very tough times but I’m delighted that I managed to make it,” said Ade.
“It’s probably my own fault, as I started out with a target of 100 miles, and then had the crazy idea of doubling it, but I wanted to get out of my comfort zone and show that if I can do it, then anyone can.
“Challenges included injuries, having no energy, having punctures on my bike and, at one point, a tyre blowout.
“I just want to thank everyone who has supported me in making a donation, and also five of my mates, who not only joined in but have also backed me and pushed me to get through.
“Without that support, at the times when I had nothing left, I would definitely have failed the challenge.
“I’m just glad to have been able to support the Good Shepherd, because a lot of people around the city have hit hard times, and it’s important that we all try and help when we can.”
Ade, a wagon driver, set out with the ambition to raise £2,000, but all the donations received, including from several football cards, helped him smash that target to net a final total of £3,102.
He was backed in the challenge by those five friends who also contributed hundreds of miles themselves, namely Ryan Rhodes, Craig Foley, John Dixon, Terence Francis and Daz Hill.
“Here at the Good Shepherd, we provide a range of different services for over 1,300 people every year, but we are only able to do so thanks to the incredibly generous support we receive from the community,” says Good Shepherd CEO Tom Hayden.
“Ade’s challenge is such a brilliant example of what can be achieved, because he has been really creative and pushed his boundaries, and ended up raising a fantastic amount of money, becoming our most successful Miles into Meals fundraiser.
“The money raised will have such a positive impact on the people who are helped by the Good Shepherd, going into our food services such as the Breakfast Club but also our meaningful activity programme which offers a chance to improve confidence and self-esteem and feel a valued part of society.
“On behalf of all of us at the Good Shepherd, including the people we help, I just want to say a huge congratulations and thanks to Ade, his friends who supported him and everyone who made a donation to make it such a successful challenge.”
The mileage completed by Ade and his friends was added on to other challenges completed during Miles into Meals, including Tom, Good Shepherd colleagues Paul Burns and Lucy Cox, and ambassador Stuart Manley completing a walk of 52 miles – a mile for every year of the charity’s history – across Malvern.
Good Shepherd Operations Manager Lee Smith also completed a marathon eight hour session of successive Blaze workouts at the David Lloyd Centre and, with additional miles from staff and volunteers including from Wolverhampton & Bilston Athletics Club Endurance group, a total of 2,508 miles was chalked up.
This comfortably surpassed the 1,247 mile target for the month which signifies the distance between the Good Shepherd and Granada in Spain, where the roots of a worldwide group of charities led by St John of God were first born.
A huge thank you to everyone involved.
