120 marathons in 120 days: Harrogate man completes epic trek

A Harrogate man crossed the finish line today after completing a mammoth challenge of 120 marathons in 120 days.

Graham Wilson, a retired police constable, found well-earned relief at Harrogate sports bar The Den after 3,180 miles.

Before setting off, Graham had raised more than £40,000 for 15 charities, including Macmillan Cancer Support, British Heart Foundation, Saint Michael’s Hospice and Harrogate Homeless Project.

He hopes to reach his goal of £50,000.

Speaking after he crossed the line, he said:

“I’m emotional, it’s been three years of hard work and training and it’s just sort of come to an end suddenly. We’ve had a terrific journey all over the UK and the welcome in Harrogate was just amazing.”

Check out our Facebook live to see him crossing the line.

Graham Wilson and his wife Marion

Graham has walked 26 miles every day for four months, with his wife Marion and dog Tilly supporting him from the sidelines.

The pandemic delayed his challenge by 15 months and meant he couldn’t stick to his original plan of including marathons in Europe.

He added:

“I retired from the police and needed something to do. We’ve always been in to long-distance walking so we set a map of where we wanted to go.

“Initially we should have been going to Europe for 44 days and doing extra but we couldn’t. We made the best of a bad situation and came up with a plan.

“The first and last was always going to be in Harrogate.”

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Graham was a police officer for nearly 30 years and raised funds for charities before retiring.

Bex Moorhouse, a former colleague and Harrogate police officer, who was there to support him today, said:

“We all just feel super proud of him. He’s just so humble, to speak to him about what he’s done it’s just like he hasn’t done anything but it’s huge. This morning he was smiley Graham as usual and we are all just super proud of him for keeping going.

“He’s said some mornings Marion has had to kick him out of bed but he’s doing it for the charities and that’s keeping him going.”

To donate to the challenge click here.

Young fundraiser sets her sights higher after smashing target in 24 hours

A schoolgirl from Harrogate who began a fundraising challenge today has already raised more than double her initial target.

Emily Caffrey, aged six, who has cerebral palsy and a brain malformation after being born prematurely, uses a walker and splints to get about.

She has decided to walk ten miles over the next week in support of NHS Charities Together. Her inspiration came from Captain Tom Moore, the Keighley veteran who has so far raised more than £24m by walking the length of his garden every day.

Mum Hannah said: “She watched him on the news. My husband is ex-military – he’s been out less than a year – and she said ‘that’s like Daddy’.

“The gentleman uses a walker, although it’s slightly different to hers, so she asked if she could raise money by walking too.”

Emily’s parents set a modest target of £500 in her online fundraiser to ensure it was achievable for her. Within 24 hours, however, having completed just one day of walking, her fundraising page had already surpassed £1,000.

“I think we’re going to have to raise the target,” said Hannah. “We were umm-ing and ahh-ing about whether to split it and add another charity, because of how much she’s raised.

“I know the NHS Charities Together are doing quite well, so I think we’re going to consider another local charity, because they’re really struggling.”

Emily Caffrey will walk 10 miles in a week to raise money for the NHS

Emily is using her walker to complete a mile or more each day

Emily’s daily walks consist of at least a mile on the streets around her house in Harrogate, accompanied by her parents and three-year-old sister, Molly. The daily challenge will run until Emily’s birthday on Saturday, April 25th, with her mum posting updates to her Facebook page.

Missing her friends and teachers at Hookstone Chase Primary School, Emily’s route passes her best friend’s house where she’s often cheered on. As well as fresh air and exercise, the challenge gives her a new focus, after her planned birthday party at Mama Doreen’s in Harrogate had to be cancelled.

“This is the first year she’s realised it’s her birthday and it’s coming up,” said Hannah. “She doesn’t understand why she can’t see her friends – she just doesn’t get it.

“So this is something that’s keeping her occupied. Walking for an hour is a massive thing for her.”