A man from Mid-Sussex is training to take on a 100 kilometre walk from London to Brighton for Blind Veterans UK, the national charity for vision-impaired ex-Service men and women.
Russell Deamer, 46 and from Burgess Hill, will be taking on the challenge for the third time with Colin Penaluna, a blind veteran from Suffolk, whom he first guided in 2014. Despite falling just short that year, they returned with a vengeance to finish the course in 24 hours in 2016.
Following last year’s triumph, Russell and Colin have their sights set on beating their previous time, but not before making sure certain course traditions are honoured. He says: “If all goes to plan, we’ll shave a good few hours off our previous time. We’re also looking forward to continuing our tradition of belting out some Elvis Presley classics in the early hours of the morning to keep up morale!”
Russell, who describes himself as a compulsive runner, has run several marathons and is also, crucially, rather handy with a map. He hopes to raise in excess of £500 and has been training four to five times a week to ensure he arrives in London in peak condition.
Having grown up just 15 minutes north of the Blind Veterans UK training and rehabilitation centre in Brighton, Russell is excited by the prospect of supporting a charity whose cause he so strongly believes in: “The centre down in Brighton is like a local landmark. The work they do in supporting men and women who have served our country is phenomenal. Like previous years, it’s going to be tough – mentally and physically – but it’ll be thoroughly rewarding and I’m looking forward to meeting new friends and making great memories.”
Registration for the 100k, which will kick off in Fulham on Saturday 1 July, is currently open with a registration fee of £62.50 for the 100km. For those not wanting to walk the full distance there is also a relay option available for teams of four walking 25k each. Teams taking part in the relay have a registration fee of £110. The all-inclusive entrance fee for participants includes lunch, dinner and breakfast at three rest stops, snacks and refreshments along the route and a free event t-shirt.
The London to Brighton 100k challenge is Blind Veterans UK’s biggest annual fundraiser and takes participants from a starting point in south west London, along the banks of the Thames, through countryside paths in Surrey, Sussex and the North and South Downs to the charity’s centre in Ovingdean, Brighton.
To support Russell as he takes on the 100k for Blind Veterans UK, please visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/RussellDeamerBVUK.
To sign up for the Blind Veterans UK 100k, please visit www.blindveterans.org.uk/100k.
For all media enquiries please contact: Felix Arbenz-Caines, PR Assistant, Blind Veterans UK, 12 – 14 Harcourt Street, London, W1H 4HD, E: Felix.Arbenz-Caines@blindveterans.org.uk, T: 020 7616 7941
Notes to Editor
Blind Veterans UK
Blind Veterans UK (formerly St Dunstan’s) is a national charity that believes that no-one who has served our country should have to battle blindness alone. It provides blind and vision impaired ex-Service men and women with lifelong support including welfare support, rehabilitation, training, residential and respite care.
The charity needs £100 million over 5 years to provide lifelong support to blind ex-Service men and women. Find out more at: www.blindveterans.org.uk, and follow us on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/blindveteransuk and on Twitter at: twitter.com/blindveterans.
