Craig Holland
A BLACKPOOL man is fulfilling a long term wish and helping a local charity at the same time.
Craig Holland, 53, a Technical Manager with the Glasdon Group, will be descending over 3,100 feet into the Grand Canyon on a trek to raise money for Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust’s charity, Blue Skies Hospital Fund.
Craig is self-funding the trip to maximise his donation to the charity as a thank you for the care Blackpool Victoria staff gave to his father.
Craig said: “My father John was cared for at the Vic for around three weeks before he passed away suffering from vascular dementia.
“Having seen the promotional information on the company’s intranet it reignited a wish to visit The Grand Canyon and because of the care, knowledge and attention all the staff gave to both dad and my family, I decided I should fulfil a dream with the opportunity to give back something to the hospital.”
Craig plans to raise at least £2,000 by running various events within the firm where he has worked for more than 30 years.
Trekkers will be following an ancient Indian trail that will lead them into the Havasupai Indian Reservation with its bright blue green lagoons, huge waterfalls and breath-taking scenery.
Craig has started training in preparation for the 10 to 15 miles a day he will need to complete by walking up the steepest hills he can find in the local area.
He added: “Having not walked seriously since completing The Pennine Way back in my school days, I have had to buy all new gear and I need to find some organised walks to help me break this gear in and at the same time build up my stamina before the trek.
“Having seen dementia-friendly areas such as the Memory Corridor at Blackpool Victoria Hospital and the sensory garden at Clifton Hospital, I’m looking forward to being able to raise money knowing how much it means to patients and families.”
The Blue Skies organised event is scheduled for the 16th to the 23rd September. There is still time to book on the Trek. Visit https://www.bfwh.nhs.uk/blueskies/ for more information.
You can also sponsor Craig by visiting – http://www.justgiving.com/ca-holland