A Veteran's Emotional Running Challenge For Charity

An injured veteran has successfully managed to complete his personal challenge of running 138 miles on his treadmill - the distance it would take for him to walk to the Cenotaph from his home - to raise money for a military charity.

Anthony Lock, who was medically discharged from the British Army in 2011 and has been working on his recovery ever since, achieved an incredible milestone on Remembrance Sunday. He said:

"Today for the final leg of my challenge I ran to my local cenotaph in Newport, South Wales where I left two poppy crosses in the memorial garden.

"This was a high point for myself as I have not run outside of the house since before I was seriously injured in Afghanistan over 11 years ago and it's your support that helped me achieve this and the gruelling daily target of 10.6 miles."

Anthony was at an extremely low point in his life when The Not Forgotten Association, a military charity that supports serving and ex-servicemen and women, stepped in to give him essential support.

The support Anthony has received from the charity has, in his words, "changed his life." He said:

"They've helped pick me up from off the floor, so I've gone from the floor to the sky now."

This year was going to be the first time he took part in the Remembrance march to the Cenotaph since leaving the Army, having finally felt it was something he was ready to do with the support from the NFA. But, due to COVID-19 restrictions, he was not able to.

Instead, to give thanks to the NFA he took on a huge challenge to raise money for the charity - running the distance from his home in Wales to the Cenotaph in London, approximately 138 miles, on his treadmill.

He started the challenge on October 27, 2020, and spurred on by the words "Never Give Up... Never Give In..." completed it on Remembrance Sunday, November 8, 2020.

Anthony's original fundraising target was £138, to match the number of miles he was due to run. However, he has been overwhelmed with support and the current total stands at £3,185. Anthony said:

"The support ... I can't even say the words. I'm so proud to be able to raise awareness of what the Not Forgotten Association are doing for us."

Anthony already has plans for another challenge in 2021.

If you want to donate and help raise money for The Not Forgotten Association, click here.