Matt Consadine
Local NHS charity, Blue Skies Hospitals Fund, is encouraging people to sign up to their Walk for Wards campaign to raise money.
The Blackpool Teaching Hospital’s in-house charity aims to get their local community to “Step out of Lockdown” by completing 10,000 steps a day for a month.
The campaign, which started in July, has already gathered momentum and has seen lots of people take to the outdoors as they clock up their steps.
Matt Consadine, 45, a Blackpool Transport tram driver from Cleveleys, is a long-time supporter of Blue Skies and the Walk for Wards campaign is just one of many fundraising activities he’s done for his local hospital.
He said: “I’ve been walking at least 10,000 steps every day to raise money as a way of saying thank you to the people who helped me following lifesaving heart surgery three years ago.
Sometimes it’s been difficult to motivate myself to go out and walk in the wind and rain, but I’ve had great support from friends walking with me and I think about why I’m doing it and that gives me that extra boost.
Without the treatment I received in hospital, I wouldn’t be alive today. So, a few blisters aren’t really a major problem!”
Joanna Allitt, Community Fundraiser for Blue Skies, said: “Unfortunately due to Covid-19 we’ve had to postpone most of our group events. This campaign is the perfect way to raise a bit of money and get out of the house if you’ve gone a little stir-crazy during lockdown!”
Simply pledge £10 and you’ll receive a free Blue Skies t-shirt to complete your walks in, visit www.justgiving.com/campaign/blueskieswalkforwards to sign up.