Sergeant pounds the streets for charity

Published: June 9, 2008 | 7159th good news item since 2003

A POLICE sergeant from the Caister and coastal villages safer neighbourhood team is set to pound the streets as he prepares for his first ever charity run.

Andy Brown has just started an intensive three month training programme in preparation for the Great North Run which is being held on Sunday October 5. The run is 13 miles long, starting in Newcastle and ending in South Shields and incorporates heights of up to 90 metres.

The 33-year-old policeman currently bikes from his home in Hemsby to his workplace at Caister police station and will soon be ditching the cycle in favour of foot power as he steps up his training regime closer to the event.

He decided to take part in the run because of a history of heart problems in his family. His father was diagnosed with angina 15 years ago and suffered a near fatal heart attack. His grandfather died of heart failure and Andy’s wife has also lost members of her family to heart related illness.

Andy said: “One of the great myths about heart related problems is that they mainly only affect the elderly or people who don’t look after their bodies particularly well. I want to help raise awareness that it is a condition that can impact on people of any age and fitness.”

He added: “I have only just started training. I live in Hemsby and will be undertaking some practice runs around the village. It’s going to be a bit of an uphill struggle but I am looking forward to the challenge.”

So far, Andy has pledged to raise £550 pounds for the charity and is well on his way to achieving that target.

Published in Charity
See also: www.greatyarmouthmercury.co.uk