Horrible Histories creator in Hadrian’s Wall challenge
Children’s author Terry Deary is aiming to run over 98 miles covering the length of the historic wall and the Great North Run in just one week to help raise funds for charity.
His run will coincide with Birmingham Stage Company’s visit to the North West with its current Horrible Histories productions, based on Deary’s history books for kids.
Deary is running for Durham-based Integrating Children, which helps disabled children in the local area to socialise and experience interaction they would otherwise not have access to.
His journey will start at Bowness-on-Solway in Cumbria on 12 September and continue for six days covering over 85 miles along the path of Hadrian’s Wall to Newcastle in North East England, where he plans to take part in the Great North Run on 18 September.
Sunderland-born Deary’s route is planned with the support of Hadrian’s Wall Heritage and his regular running group, the Derwentside Athletic Club. He will also receive support from a few famous faces and members of the public can sign up to limited spaces available for each daily leg of the run, which is around 10–15 miles in length.
Sixty-five-year-old Deary has lost three stone in weight in preparation for his challenge, which he attributes to running.
Deary said: “There is a problem of declining access of social activities for disabled children that Integrating Children highlighted to me, and that they tackle on a daily basis.
“The fact that 75% of disabled children were excluded from social activities five years ago and that it has now risen to around 80% is what I am battling to help reverse. We all have a responsibility to help the more vulnerable in society.”
Birmingham Stage Company’s Horrible Histories productions – Ruthless Romans and Awful Egyptians – arrive to the Floral Pavilion in New Brighton, Wirral, on 13-17 September as part of a UK tour, before visiting Manchester’s Opera House on 1-5 November this year.
To sponsor Deary, visit the official event website here
