
The best pubs in England, according to you
The pubs you love from our selection
In general, there was plenty of support for the pubs on our list, each chosen by guru Will Hawkes for 'their charming character, welcoming staff, rich history and – of course – award-winning beer'.
Of The Strugglers Inn, Lincoln, D Richardson wrote: 'Unexpectedly finding an outstanding pub is one of the truly great experiences. One such example was walking into The Strugglers when looking for a pint in a 'proper pub' before going on for a meal. The exterior was inauspicious, but walking into the main bar, I immediately knew that I had struck gold. I ordered a pint of mild and wandered through to the snug. Within five minutes I was chatting with a group of locals. It was such a profoundly wonderful experience, I said to them that it was one of the occasions that proved God exists. I virtually had to be dragged out to go to dinner.'
The discovery of an unexpected treasure also inspired reader Joe Rice to comment: 'Me and my brother were in Manchester recently searching for a drink after a Santana gig. Found The Circus Tavern – what a gem! A welcoming atmosphere and a great line-up of proper ales.'
Meanwhile, John Moyes took the opportunity to shout about one of his locals: the Limeburners Arms in Nether Kellet, Lancashire. 'I regularly visit and there is no doubt it is a little gem,' he said. 'Wonderfully, it serves cask beer (usually just one) which is always well kept. It is owned and run by one man, Joe Moore, who is a full-time sheep farmer and he opens the pub when he is not working. He is well supported by his regulars and this was clearly demonstrated not so long ago when he spent some time in hospital. During that time, a small group of people ensured it remained open on a voluntary basis.'
David Bissett was another reader to express approval for our list: 'Great to see so many good pubs,' he writes. 'I've just come back from one of these, The Coach and Horses at Weatheroak Hill, Worcestershire. The own-brewed IPA (Icknield Pale Ale) is very good, as is the Holdens Golden Glow they have on. The common denominator of all these pubs seems to be they are either independent free houses or not part of any of the large 'PLC' faceless chains – long may they continue, they are the fabric of the country.'
Maxwell Sawyer's affection for one of our 500 pubs goes back a very long way. He explained: 'When my parents moved to Stamford from London in 1953, our first home was the small tied cottage at the right-hand end of the Jolly Brewer (it is now part of the pub), then called The Brewery Inn – kitchen and bathroom on the ground floor, one bedroom on the first floor and one (mine) on the top floor. My father was a drayman for Melbourn Brothers (the local brewers), hence the cottage, and my mother played the piano in the pub during the evenings.'
What makes the perfect pub?
Mr Bissett believes independent ownership is key, and other readers shared their thoughts on what makes the perfect pub.
'Great ale and staff, and their ability to look after that ale,' said Anthony Booty. 'No TV screens or fruit machines. Personally I hate music pumped through speakers at a volume that makes everyone speak louder. I miss bar stools in many pubs I have visited since the pandemic. In a good pub, regulars all have nicknames as no-one remembers their proper names. Nice to have customers who are chatty but not overly chatty. In winter, a nice fire is essential, even if it's a log-burner.'
Emma Dixon added: 'I want different things depending on the season: in winter I want a fire or a burner at the very least. Dim lighting and an overall feeling of 'hygge' as well as decent beer and wine. In summer I want an agreeable beer garden – ideally with a view – and a Provençal rosé by the glass.'
The price charged for a pint is also critical, according to readers. 'I paid a shade under £7 for a Guinness in my local last week,' said one. 'I won't be going back.' Thomas K added: 'The perfect pub is my local, which sells real hand-pulled ale at £3.80 a pint. Yes, £3.80 a pint!'
The pubs you think should have been included
Many readers took the opportunity to recommend pubs they felt deserved inclusion, and they weren't all independent businesses. 'Didn't see many 'Spoons' on here,' said John Smith, one of several to express his backing for the budget pub chain.
Mark Turvey recommended The Folly at Napton in Warwickshire. 'The 'history' is to some extent manufactured, as it was not always a pub,' he admitted, 'but the decor, the proper pub atmosphere and the welcome extended to locals and visitors alike make this a canalside gem.'
Richard Lotherington praised The Halzephron Inn near Gunwalloe, Cornwall, for its 'excellent food, well-kept beers and the best view in the country, over Mounts Bay'.
Stephen Gibbs had yet another Liverpool-based pub to add to our pick of 10. 'Well done on your Liverpool choices, a very fair selection I think,' he said. 'But please note The Grapes pub on Roscoe Street in Liverpool city centre is my absolute favourite.'
Alison Durham's favourite? 'The Princess Louise on Holborn… or The Crown in Belfast.'
Rob Trevor suggested an extra pub in West Yorkshire, to go with our selection of 12. 'The Three Pigeons in Halifax is an absolute gem,' he said, 'with a faithfully restored 1930s interior, traditional cask ales from Osset brewery, and warm welcoming staff. Perfect for a visit to the Piece Hall or Halifax Town football club!'
Paul Thomas directed fellow readers to The Plough & Harrow in Litlington, East Sussex. 'It has a great garden and the food is fantastic. It's quintessential pubbing in the heart of the cosy green hills of the South Downs.'
R Lowth added: 'Can't believe The Old Crown in Hesket Newmarket [Cumbria] is not on the list! The first community-owned pub in Britain with a great selection of cask beers from the brewery next door.'
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BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
Wedgwood statue moves to Stoke-on-Trent railway station frontage
A bronze statue of Josiah Wedgwood has been moved to a new position outside Stoke-on-Trent rail new site was intended to create a focal point for people leaving the station, according to statue of the famous potter was built in 1862 and previously stood between the station and the North Stafford hotel.A scheme to improve the station approach was nearing completion, and was due to finish on 11 August, Stoke-on Trent City Council said. Work to enhance the area around the railway station began in August the Wedgwood statue was quite an undertaking but had been carefully planned with heritage experts, the council said when the work began last year."The bronze statue is a symbol of civic pride and its more prominent position will allow people to better appreciate one of the city's greats and the unique heritage of the city as a global centre of ceramics production," the authority said. The council's cabinet member for transport, regeneration and infrastructure, Finlay Gordon McCusker, said the scheme would provide a safe and attractive link between the railway station and city centre."As we enter the final phase of this transformational project I would like to thank residents for their ongoing patience throughout the works," he said."I am hopeful that residents, visitors and commuters will feel the benefit of these improvements as they travel around the city during our centenary year and beyond."Prior to the reopening, Station Road will be closed in both directions until 22:00 BST on 10 full road closure was to enable block paving to be laid, as well as the completion of a bus gate at Winton will still be able to use car park 3, at the rear of the station, for drop off and pick taxi rank will remain accessible and the Keele and Newcastle-under-Lyme bus stop will be temporarily relocated to Stoke Road. Follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.


The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
The ultimate family guide to cutting the cost of the summer holidays – from free childcare to £1 meals
SUMMER holidays are expensive - but there are ways to give your children a magical summer they'll remember forever without spending loads of cash. From free clubs and exercises sessions to cheap cinema trips and even cash you can claim to fund your fun, we explain. The summer holidays cost families an average £175 a week per child, or more than £1,000 over a six-week break, according to childcare provider Coram Family and Childcare. Sun Savers editor Lana Clements explains how you can have fun on a budget. Free clubs and food Families who usually receive free school meals can tap into the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme. Backed by England football star Marcus Rashford, this is offered by most councils in England to help provide childcare, activities and healthy meals to children from low-income families. It can be used to sign up children to sports, music and arts clubs, as well as enjoy a nutritious meal each day for free. The help on offer varies by council. For example, in some areas you could be offered holiday club places for the equivalent of at least four hours a day. Others may run a standard 8am-3pm day for free. Contact your local authority to see exactly what is available and how to apply. Tax-free childcare If you're a working parent, you can cut the cost of holiday clubs by paying through a tax-free childcare account. Many parents use it to pay for nursery or childcare but forget that it can also be used for some holiday clubs. The scheme gives parents an extra £2 from the government for every £8 paid in if your child is 11 or under and usually lives with you. You can get an extra £2,000 towards costs while parents of disabled children can get up to £4,000 more. You'll qualify if you and your partner (if you have one) each expect to earn at least £2,539 over the next three months. Or £2,080 if you're aged 18 to 20, and £1,570 if you're under 18. However, you could earn less and qualify if you're self-employed and started your business less than 12 months ago. Ask camps if they accept tax-free childcare before booking on. You can also find an approved list of childcare providers at You'll find that your local council, school or nursery will usually have a list of local camps and clubs happening. I'm always looking for free activites Mum-of-three Genevieve Roberts reveals how she manages to cut down costs over the summer holidays. The author lives in Hove, East Susses with Astrid, 8, Xavi, 6, and Juno, 2. She told The Sun: 'Entertaining the kids over the summer holidays can get expensive, so, living on the coast, I like to take advantage of the free activities on my doorstep. "Taking three children to do activities can add up to be quite an expense. I could easily spend £100 in a week during the holidays by taking them to paid play centres and things like that. "Instead the children and I love to spend the day at the beach, swimming, playing games and building sandcastles. "To save money, I make sure to avoid expensive beachfront food, always making sure to bring a packed lunch and plenty of snacks." During the summer holidays, Genevieve's savings add up to £600. 'I'm lucky to have work flexibility which enables me to balance the pressures of childcare with long-term financial planning, such as building my pension. "To maximise time with my kids over the holidays, I often opt to work in the evenings, freeing up my days to enjoy the sun and have quality family time. "I save at least £100 a week by working this way and saving on holiday clubs." "Over a six-week holiday period it really adds up." The money she saves goes towards securing her financial future including saving into her pension. Kids CAN eat for free There are loads of chains that run "kids eat free" or "kids eat for £1" offers over the school holidays. You can use these to enjoy a treat meal out for the family for less and you can take a break from cooking lunch or dinner. However, it's worth being aware that some are a better deal than others. Often an adult will need to buy a meal or spend a certain amount to qualify for each 'free' meal which can be a little pricey. But this isn't always the case. 4 One of the best offers is Asda where children can eat for just £1 in its cafes. You'll also get a free Ella's baby food pouch with any purchase for children under 18 months old. The kid's menu includes penne pasta with meatballs, fish fingers, chicken nuggets and all-day breakfast. The hot meal also comes with a piece of fruit. There's no minimum spend or requirement to purchase an adult meal to get the offer. This deal is not limited to the holidays so handy to remember for weekends too. I'd also pick out Dunelm's Pausa cafes where you can get a free mini meal for kids if you spend £4. The offer is available all day every day. Or Ikea offers good value where kids can tuck into Mac n Cheese, soft drink and piece of fruit for 95p at the Swedish chain every day, except Friday, from 11am. You can also get cut-price food through apps that distribute perfectly good grub that would otherwise be binned by local restaurants and shops. Olio offers up items that can be taken on a first come first served basis. Or through Too Good To Go you can get 'surprise bags' of food at a discounted price. However, you won't know what you are getting beforehand so best for non-fussy eaters. Full list of kids eat free offers THERE are plenty of chains to choose from offering kids eat free programmes during school holidays. Choose from any of the following... Angus Steakhouse – Kids under 8 and under eat free from the children's menu when an adult orders a meal; available daily from 12pm–5pm. Ask Italian - During school holidays, kids eat for £1 when an adult buys a main. You'll need to get a code for the promotion by filling in a short form on the chain's website. Asda Cafés – Kids' meals for £1 all day, every day across 205 stores nationwide. There's no minimum spend needed. Bar + Block – Up to two children under 16 eat breakfast free with each adult buying one all-you-can-eat buffet breakfast for £10.99. Beefeater – Two kids under 16 can eat free with every adult breakfast bought for £10.99. Bellia Italia - Kids eat free every Thursday and for £1 until 6pm, from Sunday to Wednesday when an adult meal is bought. Bill's – Up to two kids eat free from Monday to Friday, when one adult orders any main dish breakfast, lunch or dinner. Brewdog - One free kids meal for under 13s, when purchasing an adults main meal over summer holidays. Brewers Fayre - Two kids under 16 eat free with every adult breakfast for £10.99. Dobbies Garden Centres – Kids eat for £1 with the purchase of an adult main course,available every day. Chiquito - One kid eats free with every adult main purchased overthe school holidays. Côte Brasserie - Children aged 12 and under can tuck into two complimentary courses when parents spend a minimum of £20 over the school holidays. Farmhouse Inns – Two kids eat free with one paying adult. Franco Manca - One kid 12 and under get a complimentary individual kids pizza for every full-priced adult main meal from Monday to Thursday during the holidays. Frankie & Benny's - Kids can eat for free every day when any adult meal is purchased. IKEA – Kids meals start at 95p for pasta and tomato sauce available daily from 11am in restaurants. Las Iguanas – Kids under 12 eat free with the My Las Iguanas App during the holidays. Morrisons Cafés – One free kids' meal with any adult meal over £4.50. The offer is available daily. Pausa Cafés at Dunelm – Kids eat free with every £4 spent in the café all day, everyday. Premier Inn – Up to two kids eat free breakfast with an adult breakfast, £10.99. PIzza Express - Kids get a free meal Monday to Friday when an adult meal is purchased during school holidays. Sizzling Pubs – Kids eat for £1 with the purchase of an adult main meal, Monday to Friday between 3–7pm. Tesco - Kids eat free, worth £4, when you purchase anything from the menu including fruit for 65p if you're a Clubcard holder TGI Fridays – Kids eat free with any adult main meal for Stripes loyalty members, available all day, every day. The Real Greek – Kids under 12 eat free with every £15 adult spend on Sundays only. Yo! Sushi - Kids eat free all day with a full-paying adult during local school holidays. Whitbread Inns - Two kids under 16 eat breakfast free with every adult full breakfast, £20.99. Cheap cinema tickets Heading to the flicks for a day is always a winner for kids - especially when the weather isn't cooperating and the heavens have opened. Check perks that you can already access through as banks, insurers and phone providers all offer deals. For example, Vodafone customers get four Odeon tickets for £16 through VeryMe Rewards on the MyVodafone app. Three customers can use the Three+ rewards app for £3 Cineworld tickets. And O2 users are offered two cinema tickets at Vue for £6 or 4 for £12 Vue tickets on the Priority app every Monday at 10am. Otherwise, try an experiences website offering discounted cinema tickets nationwide. And very importantly take your own refreshments to the cinema to avoid extortionately expensive costs for drinks and snacks. Free museums There are plenty of free museums to visit across the UK, which is a great resource to tap into, especially when the weather isn't great. In London some of the top museums can be accessed without paying a penny including The National History Museum and The Science Museum. Just beware that some exhibitions or selected areas can charged. However, there are more museums in the capital that are free to enter than charge. But it's not just London where there are freebies - you should have somewhere free to visit near you, no matter where in the country you live including the The Museum of Liverpool and the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford. There's a full list of free museums at Just remember to pack a few snacks and drinks to avoid buying pricey refreshments on the go. Rainy day activities Fine and sunny weather typically makes it easier to keep kids entertained for cheap. Buy when the weather takes a turn you can try one of these activities instead... Library Join your local library for free and you can easily while away a few hours picking out books and reading with children. You'll also usually find a summer reading challenge from your local library where kids can try to complete a list of suitable books - helping to keep them off screens. Many larger libraries will also put on free events such as story time or sing along sessions. Get Baking Hit two birds with one stone and create some tasty and nutritious grub while keeping the kids entertained. Tesco Real Food is a gold mine for family friendly recipes. Try this fresh pasta recipe and serve with their favourite sauce: Add 200g of 00 grade flour (1kg bag £1.60 at Tesco) into a large bowl, then create a well in the centre. Mix two beaten eggs in until you have a dough. Tip on to a clean surface and knead for ten minutes until it becomes a smooth ball. Put it back in a bowl and leave to rest for 20 minutes. Using children's scissors, get the kids to cut off small chunks of pasta and you can place directly into a pan of boiling water. Then Cook for around seven or eight minutes. Cheap crafts Crafts are always a winner for kids. Save dry and clean recycling items, such as cardboard boxes, and ask kids to junk model their creations. You can help younger ones with sticking or cutting pieces. You can also download free colouring sheets from the Hobbycraft website. The retailer also has stacks of easy craft ideas that you can try your hand at with children. Or you can make ceramic style hand prints or decoarations from an easy salt dough recipe. Simply mix 250g of plain flour with 125g of table salt and 125ml of water. Then roll out and use cookie cutters or a child-friendly knife to create shapes. When finished bake on a lined baking sheet for three hours at 50 degrees. Movie afternoon Creating a cosy den for watching films is a great way to make an everyday activity a bit more fun and exciting. Use cushions, duvets and blankets in the lounge and maybe some fairy lights if you have some. You could then cook up a big bowl of popcorn together and mix in favourite sweets as a special treat. Loyalty pays If you collect Clubcard points at Tesco, the summer holidays are the perfect opportunity to cash in. Points are swapped to vouchers which can be spent at Tesco for face value, but if you choose to spend with a reward partner, the value doubles turning £2.50 into £5 to spend. You can use the vouchers on a load of family fun days out including big attraction venues including Thorpe Park, Cadbury World and Colchester Zoo. Taking a family of four (over 1.2m tall) costs well over £100 to go to Thorpe Park during peak periods so the savings are substantial. Meanwhile, Nectar points can be exchanged for tickets to attractions such as Longleat Safari Park and other family-friendly destinations. One Nectar point is worth 0.5p, meaning 100 points are worth 50p and 200 points are worth £1 at Sainsbury's. Unfortunately, you don't get the option to double up but it can still be a good way to spend those hard saved points. Free attraction tickets You can get 2-for-1 entry at 350 attractions across the UK, making one ticket completely free. This is all through National Rail's Days Out Guide with The London Dungeon, The Blackpool Tower Eye, The ArcelorMittal Orbit, and Warwick Castle among the places you can visit through the initiative. To bag 2-for-1 tickets you will need to travel via train to the destination. 4 First, head to the Days Out Guide website and click on "UK Days Out". Then pick the attraction you'd like to visit and download or print, the 2-for-1 voucher. Vouchers and train tickets will then need to be presented to staff at the venue for the promotion to be accepted. Many local farms or animal sanctuaries offer free open hours where kids can see animals and get up close to tractors and more. For example, The Woodland Farm Trust in London or Goodall's of Tong in Yorkshire. You can find one near you by searching on google or look at Find a freebie There are often loads of small free events happening right under your nose but without a big budget for advertising these can be harder to find. Try searching through for local gems going under the radar. You can filter by activity type, as well as search for only the activities that are free. Facebook also has plenty of suggested events you can scroll through where you can search 'near me' or choose a location, as well as date. And check the notice boards of local supermarkets, gyms, libraries and doctor surgeries. Website also has a tool where you can search for activities by postcode and signup to its newsletter to see whats happening in your area. Turn your outdoor area to a play haven SUN Savers Editor LANA CLEMENTS explains how she has turned her garden into a play area to save money. LAST year I invested in making my garden more entertaining for my four-year-old daughter CAN WE NAME THEM? and six-year-old son. They love heading to the local trampoline park, but it costs more than £20 every time we go. Instead, I bought an 8ft trampoline for £90. Yes, it's a hefty upfront cost and you could probably buy cheaper second hand if you can find one and it takes up a huge space in our garden - but it's hands down the best thing I've bought them. Last summer, they spent hours jumping, burning energy and playing in there. I've made back the £90 easily in saved cash from the trampoline park and soft play sessions. But you don't need to spend that much to transform your outside space. Facebook Marketplace and Car boot sales are great places to start to buy furniture and second-hand toys. My kids also love making 'obstacle courses' out of toys and furniture - or we'll play the 'floor is lava' with a few cushions and mats to jump between. Try handing them a pack of chalk and they'll soon be drawing pictures on a patio. Or challenge them to create a 'bug hotel' out of leaves and sticks. On hot days, you can freeze small toys such as dinosaurs in ice and they'll be entertained and keep cool trying to 'set them free'. You can even turn them into mini gardeners, asking them to help water flowers or planting fruit and veg which they'll love to watch grow. Of course, we are lucky enough to have outside space. You can find shared garden spaces nearby or even try and get an allotment to help entertain your kids this summer. Hit the shops Dragging kids round the shops doesn't instantly sounds like a good idea, but if you know where to head it can be fun for free. Pets at Home runs free workshops during school holidays where little ones can learn and meet small animals. See Garden centre chain Dobbies also runs its Little Seedlings Clubs with free workshops on a range of gardening topics suitable for children aged 4-10 years. See Ikea loyalty members can also book on to free workshops for children but these do tend to be popular so you'll need to move quick. Dates and events vary by store look up your neatest at Local pet or aquarium shops are also an easy way to burn a morning or afternoon without spending a penny. If you can find a place selling snakes, spiders or lizards - they'll be enthralled. Friendly retailers are usually more than happy for kids to have a hold and give facts about the And the child-sized trolleys at Lidl are a great way to get your weekly shop done while your mini-me follows and helps pick out items for dinner. Free sports and lessons It's great to get kids up and moving over the holidays. Sports clubs are often fairly pricey but there are plenty of sporting freebies you can take advantage of. Families can play tennis for free at one of the LTA's Big Tennis weekends. These nationwide events are a great way to get inspired with coaching, games and competitions throughout the summer. Find your nearest at McDonald's also offers free Fun Football sessions over the summer. McDonald's Fun Football sessions offer coaching at 1,600 locations to 1 million kids across the UK. Parents can register for free with sessions running until July 27. Sign up at Parkplay is a nationwide scheme offering two hours of free community ball play Saturday mornings in a park or public space. Games are adapted and inclusive, with all generations playing together. Find your nearest at It's worth looking up local big clubs which often give back to the community with cheap or free sessions. For example, Manchester United Foundation's Street Reds offers free sessions to selected kids. Contact your local team to see what is on offer. Or for a bit of running, Junior Park Run is a free weekly 2km event for children aged four–14.. Register at and they can practice each week. Free breaks for kids The cost of a getaway during the school holidays is staggeringly expensive as providers hike prices. However, there are charities who will offer subsidised or even free breaks for low income families, especially those who have never been able to afford the cost of going away. Check out the Family Holiday Charity to see if you could qualify, as well as the Family Fund if you have a disabled child. Benefit information site Turn2us also provides tools for finding grants and charitable support for holidays. Household Support Fund Low income families can get help with essential bills such as energy and food through the Household Support Fund. Every council in England has cash from the government to give out to households battling with the cost of living over the coming financial year. Each local authority distributes the funding slightly different so what you can get and whether you qualify depends on where you live. You may be offered vouchers or cash payments straight in to your bank account. However, the value of support is nothing to be sniffed at and is often worth hundreds of pounds to those who qualify. You'll typically find you could unlock the help if you're on benefits such as Universal Credit. But the cash is not guaranteed - once your council has dished out the funding it's gone so contact authorities as soon as possible to see if you could apply.


BBC News
2 hours ago
- BBC News
Ex-Wolves player Geoff Thomas completes Tour De France challenge
Former Wolves and England footballer Geoff Thomas has completed his seventh Tour De France challenge with the hope of raising £1m for research into who lives in Worcestershire, has been part of Tour 21 team which has been following the exact same route as the Tour De France, a week ahead of the professionals was given just three months to live in 2003 after being diagnosed with leukaemia, but overcame the illness two years later after treatment and a stem cell first took part in the challenge for Cure Leukaemia in 2005, when he was six months in remission, and the 2025 race he completed on Sunday is his last, he said. Speaking to BBC Hereford and Worcester after crossing the finish line in Paris, he said the experience had been "magical"."Everyone's been so good on this event. We've bonded as a team," he said."I think you become like a family and after a few weeks together doing a ridiculously hard challenges every day is a bond that's built for life." "I started this 20 years ago. It was all purely to raise money for Cure Leukaemia and get [professor] Charlie Craddock the funding he needed to fulfil his dream of building a clinical research centre that would fast-track all the wealth of knowledge that's in the science labs to benefit patients."Over the last 15 years I can say for sure with the infrastructure we've set up, it's working and people are largely being saved on the back of these fantastic guys raising money for a great cause."He said he was not normally an emotional man but seeing his family at the end of the race was tough."I knew everybody would be here [at the finishing line] and I had a little moment to myself and then when I came here I just wanted to enjoy everyone's enjoyment and see it in their eyes," he added. "I've done it numerous times... but taking on a challenge like that and meeting in Paris is magical."His wife Julie said she was "so proud"."It's just fantastic. It's a huge challenge and I think 90% is your mental state," she said."I think Geoff being a professional sportsman, I think he just has that drive in him, no matter what's happening to your body, you just get on with it."I think he doesn't really think about what's going on at the time, he just pushes on for the charity really, for the cause."Thomas, who was appointed an MBE in 2021 for his work raising money for cancer charities, said everyone that took part should be proud of themselves and what they had achieved."I am proud of them and I'm proud of the charity and that's why I carry on doing this and oddly, even though I was the most unfit I've been taking on this challenge, it's inspired me even more than any other." Follow BBC Wolverhampton & Black Country on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.