82-year-old completes triple marathon for Hospiscare

You’re never too old!

An East Devon man has completed three back-to-back marathons and a Wing Walk to raise money for a local charity.

Bill Sheppard from Membury near Axminster celebrated his 82nd birthday by completing three consecutive 26-mile challenges to raise money for Hospiscare, the local hospice charity caring for his wife, Anne.

Hospiscare has been by the side of its community for nearly forty years. The local charity relies upon the generosity of its supporters to generate 82% of its annual funding to ensure that its specialist end-of-life care cost is provided at no cost to patients and their families.

The covid-19 pandemic has hit the charity’s fundraising efforts hard, with many of its major events cancelled and the repeated closure of its charity shops. Hospiscare has forecast a funding deficit of £1.5 million, making the efforts of supporters like Bill more vital than ever.

Bill embarked on his triple marathon on 15 May to coincide with when his mother started her birthing pains. Bill ran 26 miles, followed by a 26-mile cycle and finally a 26-mile ride on his wife’s mobility scooter to complete his challenge at on 16 May, his birthday.

Bill explains, “The main reason for the miles was to match my 82 years and, as you’ve probably noticed, the mileage only adds up to 78 so I walked four miles to make up the extra. I was a little saddle sore by the end but that soon went the next day when I ran a few miles again.”

Bill is no stranger to running challenges, having represented Portsmouth, Plymouth and the Royal Navy in his time. He explains, “In my thirties, when I was at my peak, I ran from Miami to Jacksonville, Florida, in four days. My ship, HMS Falmouth, docked at Miami Clearwater and the day it set sail, I set off to beat it to Jacksonville. I raced it to Fort Lauderdale, arriving one hour after the ship docked. It was a long way.”

Bill took his fundraising efforts one step further by completing the final leg, or perhaps wing, of his challenge 500ft up in the air. Bill took to the skies on Saturday 12 June with his wife Anne and step-daughter Kimberley, who had flown over from Portugal, cheering him on. Bill says, “With the onset of my wife’s brain cancer and Hospsicare being so good to her and me, I felt I could do a Wing Walk to raise money for them.

“Anne has fought these awful seven tumours in her brain and left lung and to me, she is so very brave and positive. Her courage with everyday living is incredible. Anne deserves a medal for putting up with my running and my excitement for my challenges!”

Bill’s extraordinary challenges have been met with great support from the local community, enabling him to donate £2,150 to Hospiscare. Bill says, “I am astounded and totally humbled by people’s generosity towards my chosen charity.

“Hospiscare’s nurses have been so supportive, so encouraging and so very sympathetic to us both, lending a calmness to the awful trauma that is taking place. I will never be able to thank them enough.”

To get in touch with Hospiscare and do something incredible to support end-of-life care in your community, contact fundraising@hospiscare.co.uk or call 01392 688020.