Take The Scotty's Pledge

The pair, who live in Tamworth and Hammerwich in Birmingham, have committed themselves to running 230km across snowy landscapes, and in -40 degree temperatures, all to help raise money for Scotty’s Little Soldiers, a charity that offers integral support to children and young people who have experienced the death of a parent who served in the British Armed Forces.

The challenge starts on Thursday 10th February and will take them five days to complete. Both John (30) and Gavin (40) are no strangers to long distance running, but this challenge is set to push them both to their absolute limits.

John said: “After leaving the Marines in 2017 I really started to embrace running. I completed my first ultramarathon in 2018 and decided that this year I wanted to do something really hard that would challenge me. I’ve known Gavin for years, we’ve previously raced together, and as soon as I mentioned a multi-stage race in the Arctic Circle to him, he agreed to join me.

“Originally, my plan was to complete the challenge as a personal goal, but then a friend told me about Scotty’s Little Soldiers. I was amazed to hear about the work they do and, having served in the Royal Marines, know just how important their work is within the Armed Forces community.”

John and Gavin’s challenge consists of five stages, with each stage varying in length. On day one the pair will run 37.5 miles, day two will see them complete 27.5 miles, day three 26.2 miles, day four 40 miles and day five 10 miles.

It will take every bit of strength for the pair to get through each day. John said: “We know this challenge won’t be easy but having the charity front of mind and knowing that what we are doing is helping raise money for hundreds of bereaved Forces children is what will get us through. We’ve trained for this and know what to expect in terms of the temperature, but we’ve invested in the right clothing which will help keep us warm.”

By tackling something so ambitious, John and Gavin are hoping to raise a significant amount of money for Scotty’s Little Soldiers and have set themselves a target of £10,000.

John said: “Supporting Scotty’s is so important to us, so we’ve set ourselves an ambitious target which I really hope we can reach. Our friends and family have already been very generous and helped us raise over £1,800 so far, but Gavin and I would really like to raise a lot more.”

Scotty’s Little Soldiers, which was set up in 2010 by war widow Nikki Scott, offers integral support to children and young people who have experienced the death of a parent who served in the British Armed Forces.

Nikki saw the devastating impact the death of her husband, Corporal Lee Scott, in 2009 had on their two young children and wanted to help others in the same situation.

The charity is currently providing assistance to hundreds of bereaved British Forces children and young people around the UK and beyond. Services offered include guidance to parents and carers, access to professional child bereavement support, personal education and learning assistance (including grants) and fun activities such as holiday respite breaks and group events. These are all designed to remind the children and young people supported by Scotty’s that they are not alone.

Nikki said: “John and Gavin are such an inspiration, and I can’t thank them enough for what they are putting themselves through to help raise money for Scotty’s. Running an ultramarathon in normal temperatures is hard enough but tackling it in freezing cold temperatures really is a challenge. I wish them both the best of luck. Every penny they raise helps us to continue to deliver a high level of support to bereaved Forces children and young people at times when they need it the most.”