Firefighter Paul Vowles raises £680 for Wales Air Ambulance after taking on gruelling 104-mile fundraising challenge inspired by friends who received lifesaving care.
A SOUTH WALES firefighter has gone the extra mile – 104.8 miles, in fact – after completing eight half marathons in eight consecutive days to raise funds for the Wales Air Ambulance Charity.
Paul Vowles, from Pontyclun, took on the gruelling challenge in support of the lifesaving service, raising an impressive £680 for the charity.
The father-of-two said he was inspired to support Wales Air Ambulance after several of his friends received critical care from its specialist crews. He also wanted to help raise awareness of the financial pressures facing the charity, particularly rising aviation fuel costs linked to ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
Paul said: “This charity means a lot to a few of my friends who unfortunately have been on the receiving end of the critical care given by the crews. The fuel funding pressures have also made raising money for the Wales Air Ambulance more important than ever.”
No stranger to endurance challenges, Paul previously completed seven half marathons in seven days to raise money for Motor Neurone Disease charities after being inspired by former rugby league star Kevin Sinfield’s fundraising efforts.
“This year I wanted to do something similar for a different charity, so I thought I would make it slightly harder than my last one,” he said.
“I’ve always enjoyed keeping fit and have always run, but not half marathon distances unless I’m doing these challenges.”
Paul faced difficult conditions throughout the challenge, starting in grim weather before finishing during a spell of hot summer temperatures.
Despite the physical demands, he said the support he received from family, friends and fellow runners helped him through.
“I really enjoyed every run. Most mornings I had someone who wanted to run or ride a bike alongside me, which definitely helped,” he said.
“I feel extremely grateful to everyone who donated towards this fundraiser, especially in these tough economic times. I’m blown away by everyone’s generosity.”
Wales Air Ambulance is a consultant-led service that delivers hospital-standard treatments directly to patients at the scene of serious incidents before, when necessary, transferring them to the most appropriate hospital.
Working in partnership with the Emergency Medical Retrieval and Transfer Service (EMRTS), the charity’s highly skilled teams can administer anaesthesia, provide blood transfusions and carry out minor surgical procedures in emergency situations.
As an all-Wales service, its crews operate across the country, delivering specialist critical care wherever it is needed.
Christian Sullivan, Regional Fundraising Manager for Wales Air Ambulance, praised Paul’s efforts.
“Congratulations to Paul for completing eight half marathons in eight days, which is an incredible achievement,” he said.
“We’re extremely grateful that he chose to support Wales Air Ambulance after our crews came to the aid of his friends.
“Paul set himself a challenge that most people would shy away from and raised a fantastic £680 for our all-Wales charity.
“Wales Air Ambulance needs to raise £13 million every year to keep our helicopters in the air and our rapid response vehicles on the road. This fundraiser will help us reach that yearly target.
“Thank you to everyone who supported Paul with his fundraiser. You have all played a part in helping us save lives across Wales.”
