A dad-of-six has raised £2,700 by running 1000km in 100 days during lockdown for the Wales Air Ambulance.

After an 18-month break from running Darren Roberts, from Rhosgadfan, Caernarfon, put his running shoes back on to raise funds for the lifesaving charity.

Just days into the national lockdown and only five days before his 40^th birthday, Darren who was furloughed, set himself the huge challenge of running 1000km in 100 days.

Darren, who works as a customer care supervisor for Beech Developments, completed the challenge in July and is delighted to have smashed his £1,000 target. He said: “It averaged out at about 10km a day and some days more if I’d missed a day - so it was a real challenge!

“My daughter is obsessed with helicopters and I knew the Wales Air Ambulance had always helped people across the country in remote areas but would have been under further pressure due to Covid-19. So, it made sense to nominate them as the charity that I would run and raise money for.”

Darren took to the hills near his home and not only worked to complete the feat in distance but also ascended 85,000ft.

Darren’s hard work and commitment to the fundraiser has been acknowledged by his work colleagues. They’ve described him as ‘a real inspiration’. The company has decided to match the £1,135 that he raised, as part of its 25^th-anniversary plans to help local charities, making the final a total of £2,700.

Darren, who has six daughters, was lucky that he had sunny weather during the 100 days and only a few rainy days. He did, however, experience a storm or two, which he describes as being ‘crazy’.

Reflecting on the support he received, he said: “The support I got off friends and family was brilliant, one or two of them joined me for a run! My wife, Nia, was my biggest support, holding the fort with the kids, and urging me to go when sometimes I felt tired.”

Lynne Garlick, Wales Air Ambulance’s North Wales Fundraising Manager, said: “Congratulations to Darren on having the stamina and willpower to keep running for 100 days, especially after an 18-month break from running! It is heart-warming to hear that Darren picked this challenge after hearing about the added pressure charities are facing during the current pandemic. The Wales Air Ambulance has seen a significant decrease in fundraising during the last 6 months. The support from Darren and Beech Developments will help keep our helicopters flying. Thank you to everyone who has supported Darren, and especially to Darren himself, for going the extra mile.”

You can show your appreciation to Darren by sponsoring him via his Just Giving Page Darren's 1000km in 100 days.