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BBC News
21-04-2025
- General
- BBC News
Ashington pensioner's 73-mile wheelchair challenge for wife
An 86-year-old pensioner has embarked on a 73-mile (117km) wheelchair challenge in support of his Thomas Hedley, who lives at a care home in Ashington, Northumberland, has decided to wheel himself the equivalent length of Hadrian's wall to raise money for the Alzheimer's Hedley's wife, who lives in another care home and has Alzheimer's, was the inspiration behind the challenge."It has affected our whole family," he said. "There is no coming back from Alzheimer's, it's a downwards slope." Mr Hedley, who lives at Ashington Grange Care Home, began the challenge to wheel himself along the equivalent length of Hadrian's Wall last is doing laps of the care home corridor and is hoping to complete the total distance by the end of Wall, built by the Roman Empire, stretches coast to coast, from Wallsend on the River Tyne in the east to Bowness-on-Solway in Cumbria in the Hedley said: "I have witnessed what a struggle [my wife] has with everyday living and want to do what I can to raise funds to help Alzheimer's research."Andrea Pringle, manager at Ashington Grange Care Home, said Mr Hedley was an "inspiration" to other residents and staff."Our residents are thrilled with the dedication Tom is showing to complete this. It is such a wonderful, generous thing to do - and for a great cause." Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
BBC News
20-04-2025
- Automotive
- BBC News
My 4,000-mile tour of the coast in a vintage Land Rover
A man has completed a charity challenge to drive a 69-year-old Land Rover 4,000 miles (6,400km) around the British Hernaman set off from Lynmouth, Devon, on 8 March in his Series 1 Land Rover – with a 79-year-old, 6ft-square caravan in tow. He has named the pair George and Mildred after the 1970s agricultural engineer from Exmoor said the challenge had helped him raise £12,000 for Bowel Cancer UK and the Alzheimer's Hernaman, who set off his 71st birthday, said the journey had been an "absolute blast". Mr Hernaman said he had averaged about 100 miles (160km) a day, and managed to reach the top of Scotland, London's Trafalgar Square and Land's End in was greeted by a convoy of about 50 other Land Rovers for the final leg of the journey between Blackmoor Gate in Exmoor and Lynmouth."It is amazing to get here. I've just told George not to break down in the last few miles," he said. Mr Hernaman said despite a few breakdowns, the journey had been a lot of added there had been a few scary moments to contend with on the roads."Coming down the A1 with lorries passing me at 60mph sent the Land Rover and caravan from one side to the other every few minutes," Mr Hernaman said."But everything else has been absolutely a blast."
BBC News
30-03-2025
- Automotive
- BBC News
Land Rover, 69, and caravan, 79, on England road trip
A 69-year-old Land Rover called George is being driven around England while it tows a 79-year-old caravan called Mildred in a bid to raise money for Hernaman, left Lynmouth in Devon, on his 71st birthday on 8 March, to start his 3,200 mile-long (5,150 km) agricultural engineer is fundraising for Bowel Cancer UK after his 52-year-old sister and a 43-year-old friend died from the disease. He is also raising funds for the Alzheimer's Hernaman said after he had travelled around England, mostly on roads close to the coast, he hoped to end the journey in Lynmouth on either the 22 or 23 April. On Tuesday, Mr Hernaman told BBC Radio Devon he had driven more than 1,000 miles (1,600 km) and had encountered some difficulties with his Series 1 Land said: "George has had a few issues in the last few days..."It's nothing but to be expected at that age of Land Rover."He said the main problem so far had been with the vehicle's ignition although there had also been some brake problems."Thanks to FaceTime and my very good friends Nigel Webber and Will Webster we seem to have been able to sort things out," he added. Mildred, the caravan he is towing, measures 6ft (1.8m) square and holds a bed, a cooker and storage space for food and clothing. He said: "I'm basically towing a bed."The door to the opening of the caravan is over the front hitch which is quite rare."It's a Safari Minor, they are very, very rare - there could be just two others in the country."Mr Hernaman, originally from Croyde and now living in Exmoor, said "a lot of very kind people" had donated money along his journey."There are so many kind people out there," he added.
