A MAN who wants to make Staindrop the fittest village in England is putting his money where his mouth is by running 100 miles for a dementia charity.
Les Blair, who was instrumental in getting the village’s Couch to 5k group up and running last year and helped Staindrop Academy establish a community gym, clocked up 16 miles in a week in his bid to run 100 miles in 30 days for the Alzheimer’s Society.
The charity is particularly important to him as his father, James, died of mixed dementia last year. He was 94.
Mr Blair said: “It started with slips of memory and an obsessive-compulsive disorder. He went from being a big, strong, capable man to a bed-ridden child. When he died he didn’t know us. He didn’t know his family. It is a horrible disease.”
However, Mr Blair said the Alzheimer’s Society had offered the family invaluable support throughout his father’s illness.
He added: “It was all completely new to us. We had never claimed for anything in our lives so I didn’t know how to claim for anything. I spent 18 hours a day by his side. It was terribly stressful for my wife, Di, and myself.”
He said the society had not only helped in practical ways such as arranging and claiming for care, but also in offering support and advice to the family.
Mr Blair said: “Some of it [the charity’s funds] goes into research so it is a bit of self-interest that they might find a cure if I also get the disease.”
The fitness expert also hopes his 100-mile challenge will inspire the Couch to 5k group he started.
He said: “We’ve had 72 people through the Couch to 5k in just over a year which is really good for a place this size. So, it is just a bit of encouragement for them to go on. I am 69 so if I can do it, anyone can do it.”
As part of the challenge the Alzheimer’s Society suggests participants raise £100 -“£1 for each mile – but Mr Blair hopes to far. exceed that He has already raised £50 in the first five days.
Anyone who wants to support the cause can visit justgiving.com/fundraising/RunforDementia-LeslieBlair
