Dog lover Ash Paddon from Godalming is raising funds for Dogs Trust by completing a 1083.8-mile virtual walk from Land’s End to John O’Groats despite suffering life-changing injuries to his legs.
Ash, whose legs were crushed in a road accident, was inspired to take on the trek for Dogs Trust after seeing first-hand how the charity cared for unwanted dogs during the pandemic. No stranger to going the extra mile for his furry friends, Ash already sponsors a handful of Dogs Trust dogs and actively supports his local Dogs Trust charity shop.
Ash said:
“In June 2019, I suffered a life-changing injury when my legs were crushed between two vehicles, which caused a lot of damage. I have had surgery to address the worst of it, but I have been left with a ruptured ligament in my lower left leg. This walk is likely to be extremely tough, but if it can help raise some much-needed funds, I am happy to put myself to the test to do some good for our four-legged friends.
I have been a long-time Dogs Trust supporter and am currently sponsoring five dogs – Barney, Cheeky, Mike, Mikey, and Kazen. I have always been a dog-lover and have wanted to do something like this for a while now. I usually never really know what can be done to raise funds, but earlier this year, I discovered a website where you can enter virtual walking challenges, which is what has sparked the whole idea.”
Tristan Lathey, Dogs Trust Community Fundraising Officer said: “We are so grateful to Ash for taking on this challenge in support of Dogs Trust. Every penny raised will help us ensure we can continue to give dogs in our care everything they need until they find their forever homes. Thank you to Ash and everyone supporting his fundraiser.”
Ash began his walk on 1st March 2022 and hopes to raise a whopping £20,000 for Dogs Trust, if you would like to support his fundraiser, please visit https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/lejog-for-dogs, and click “Give Now”.
Anyone interested in fundraising for Dogs Trust can visit our website: https://www.dogstrust.org.uk/get-involved/fundraising/ or email us at: [email protected]