David Clarke’s Story: Ten Years, Nine Challenges, One Extraordinary Reason to Keep Going

When David Clarke’s mum spent her final three days on the Inpatient Unit at East Lancashire Hospice, he was moved by the care he witnessed. At home, her final days had been surrounded by lots of visitors; however, once she was admitted to the Hospice, her immediate family got to spend a lot more time with her. David remembers.

“It was calm, peaceful and gave us time to really be together as a family.”

After David’s mum died, his dad received counselling support from the Hospice team, helping him navigate his grief. Inspired by the compassionate care their family experienced, David’s grandad chose to give back by volunteering with the Hospice’s retail team.

The strong sense of community at East Lancashire Hospice left a lasting impression on David, igniting a passion that has driven him to take on fundraising challenges for more than a decade.

Over the past ten years, David has raised an impressive £29,000 for East Lancashire Hospice. His goal is to raise £30,000, covering the cost of the care his mother received.

Year 1: A 40th Birthday

David’s fundraising began in 2015, when he decided to turn his 40th birthday into something meaningful. A family fun day, complete with stalls, a magician and a tombola, helped to raise funds for the Hospice, totalling an incredible £1,800.

“I never thought we’d raise that much,” he says. “That’s what first gave me the bug for fundraising.”

Year 2: The National Three Peaks

The following year, David took on the National Three Peaks. Accompanied by his 17 friends, two minibuses and a local personal trainer guiding them along the way, the team completed the challenge in just 24 hours!

Year 3: The Yorkshire Three Peaks

After completing the National Three Peaks the previous year, David decided a new challenge was on the horizon; this time, he tackled the Yorkshire Three Peaks. Along with his five friends, a few wrong turns, and plenty of laughter, the team completed the challenge in an impressive 9 hours.

Year 4: Lockdown Workout

When COVID-19 struck, and the Hospice’s fundraising events were cancelled, David refused to stop his fundraising efforts. He livestreamed a 9-hour workout from home, which even made a feature on the national news. David shared,

“I loved this challenge because my wife and children got to see me complete it and cheer me on throughout. It was a particularly important year because it was hard for the Hospice to fundraise during COVID-19.”

Year 5: The West Highland Way

The West Highland Way was next on David’s list. David’s brother and his 10 friends walked a gruelling 96 miles from Glasgow to Fort William, finishing at the summit of Ben Nevis.

Year 6: The Welsh 3000s

Year 6 was the hardest to date, with David tackling The Welsh 3000s, a 15-peak, mountain challenge in North Wales. David completed the challenge with a knee injury and challenging weather conditions.

Year 7: Triple Yorkshire Three Peaks

David revisited an old route for his seventh challenge; however, he wanted to up the ante, by completing the Yorkshire three peaks, three times over, within three days.  On the third day, David was accompanied by his family, including his aunties, uncles and cousins. David explained,

“It felt like a procession; I felt especially connected to the challenge, as I was surrounded by my family”.

Year 8: The Jurassic Coast

Year 8 saw David take on the Jurassic Coast Challenge. David walked an incredible 103 miles over four days along the South West Coast, finishing in Exmouth.

Year 9: Two treks with breathtaking views

Last year, David walked the Great Glen Way, walking 78 miles over three days. Deciding one challenge simply wasn’t enough, he decided to walk 162 miles over seven days on the John O’Groats Trail.

“The sunrises and views of the cliffs were spectacular, we spotted seals, puffins and herons because the route was so remote, it was truly special.”

Year 10: The biggest challenge yet

This Christmas, David turns 50, and will also mark 10 years of fundraising for East Lancashire Hospice. He recalls how, as a child, he and his mother would find themselves out on rambles; making memories that last a lifetime.

To celebrate the milestones, David is taking on his most ambitious challenge yet: Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in memory of his mum.
Over the years, David has climbed many mountains across the UK, but this one is different. His journey will start in a tropical rain forest and end surrounded by snow-covered peaks. With a vast spectrum of weather conditions, this will be a huge challenge.

David shared,

“I’m buzzing for this challenge. I’m a little bit scared of getting altitude sickness, but I’m currently training with a mask that simulates high altitude. Nothing else I’ve done comes close to this.”

If you’ve been inspired by David’s story and would like to make a donation in contribution to his fundraising challenge, please click the link below: https://www.justgiving.com/page/david-clarke-kili50?utm_medium=FA&utm_source=WA

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