Worksop woman completes 50 mile charity trek in one day to raise cash for Bulldog cause

Shelley Barker-Armstrong, who is a foster carer for The Edward Foundation, a charity that rescues and rehomes bulldogs, decided to take on the grueling challenge to help the cause continue their life saving work.

Shelley who has fostered 14 dogs for the charity to date, has raised more than £8,000.

The challenge took place on Saturday, April 27, starting at 4am near Misterton and the route followed the canal through Retford, Worksop, Shireoaks and Kivteton, before heading to Rother Valley, Poolsbrook Park and finally ending in Creswell.

Shelley was joined by her friend Si Hulett.

Shelley, 42, from Creswell, said: “I’d been wanting to do something to challenge myself this year and raise as much as I could for the foundation.

“When I told people they said I must be mad.

“But I announced it and then there was no going back.

“We started at 4am and I completed at about 10.30pm, and Si at about 11pm.

“Towards the end, Si struggled with really bad blisters and my left knee was playing up, but we powered through.

“We had lots of support and familiar faces along the route which gabe us the boost we needed.

“Our current total is a staggering £8,089.46 with more donations still coming in.”

Shelley started her training in January and knows all the money raised will make a real difference to the foundation who has rescued 2,100 dogs since launching in 2011.

She said: “Bulldogs are not the easiest of dogs to care for as they are prone to health condition, the vets bills alone can be extortionate.

“The foundation spent £200,000 on vets bills alone last year so I wanted to do my best to raise as much money as possible to help out.

“I absolutely love fostering, it is hard because I do get attached to them but that’s all part of being good foster carer.

"They are such a special breed with such big personalities.”

If you would like to make a donation visit Shelley’s Just Giving page, www.justgiving.com/page/ef-walkforpaws or to find out more about The Edward Foundation visit www.theedwardfoundation.co.uk.