South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWASFT) is giving residents in the Burnham-On-Sea area a new way to beat the ‘lockdown blues’ and raise money for the NHS.
‘Go the Extra Mile – Outrun an Ambulance’ is a virtual challenge for people to conquer the mileage an ambulance covers while responding to emergencies.
They can complete the distance plus one mile over a period of time by walking, running, cycling, or riding anything else that is self-propelled.
People can choose the distance they want to do based on the mileage clocked-up by a crew from a selected ambulance station during the course of a typical shift.
Or they can attempt to outrun the average mileage of all of the featured ambulance stations, which is 90 miles.
Funds raised for South Western Ambulance Charity will help to support the welfare of SWASFT staff and volunteers, and to help the trust continue to run CPR training for the public and provide defibrillators in local communities.
Around £2,000 has been raised so far from the challenge which began earlier this month.
Zoe Larter, head of the charity, says: “Our ambulance staff and volunteers really are going the extra mile to keep us all safe during these challenging times.”
“Help us go the extra mile for them and the communities they serve by taking on the ‘Outrun an Ambulance’ challenge!”
“It’s designed to suit all people and all abilities. You don’t need to complete the challenge in one go, and you can do it as a team with each individual covering part of the distance.”
The concept was conceived by SWASFT Emergency Care Assistant Shannon Witts who is shielding during the pandemic.
She and her family are attempting to outrun the total mileage of 196 for the three ambulance stations featured within the Gloucestershire area (Stroud, Cinderford and Moreton in Marsh).
SWASFT asks people to do the challenge according to the lockdown rules which allow everyone to exercise once a day in their local area. It also recommends people stick to well-lit areas if they choose to exercise outdoors after dark.
For more information and to set-up a personal fundraising page for the challenge, click here.
