Contents:
- Editor's welcome
- Feeling good in the summer sun
- Rochdale's pancake legacy 30 years on
- Calderbrook Alpacas – The delightful world of fluffy misfits
- Rochdale “hero” completes gruelling 232- mile ultra-marathon for Jolly Josh charity »
- Ogden family takes majority control of Rochdale AFC after £2m investment
- The timeless magic of Rochdale’s M6 Theatre
- Toffee or chocolate dipped apples
- Grey & Gorgeous
- Rochdale Infirmary opens ‘Oasis Garden’
- Inside Rochdale's oldest mosque
- Sue Devaney announced as new patron of Springhill Hospice
- Remarkable 2000-year-old Roman coins found in Littleborough field will stay in the borough
- Stiffen your resolve to do more exercise
- Rochdale Shopmobility manager retires after two decades
- Contractor appointed for Touchstones transformation
- Korean sticky mushrooms with kimchi greens
- High Level’s holistic approach to addiction recovery
- All eyes on Rochdale at Tatton
- Post Office Horizon Scandal
- What's on this autumn
Autumn 2024Rochdale “hero” completes gruelling 232- mile ultra-marathon for Jolly Josh charity
A brave Rochdale resident has conquered the gruelling 2024 Race Across Scotland, a 220-mile coast-to-coast ultra-marathon, to raise funds for local charity Jolly Josh. Finn Newall, who undertook the incredible challenge, pushed through the Scottish landscape for 72 hours and 19 minutes, covering 232 miles in total with checkpoints.
His journey saw him burning nearly 29,000 calories, taking over 443,000 steps, and surviving on just 4.5 hours of sleep. At the time of writing Finn had raised over £4,000 for Jolly Josh.
Liz, a representative from Jolly Josh, expressed her admiration for Finn’s extraordinary achievement, saying: “We were overwhelmed before the race when Finn approached us to tell us of his unbelievable challenge.”
Throughout the event, Liz and the Jolly Josh team followed Finn’s progress via a live tracking system, marvelling at the physical and mental endurance required. “We sent him personalised videos from our families to share our support along his journey,” she added, proudly dubbing him their “Jolly Josh superhero.”
Jolly Josh provides essential support to families with children who have complex medical needs, offering services such as hydrotherapy and youth group sessions at their fully adapted centre on Queensway in Rochdale.
Since its opening in April 2022, the centre has become a lifeline for local families, offering a safe and inclusive environment where children and their carers can connect and support one another.
The funds raised by Finn’s heroic effort will play a crucial role in sustaining the services Jolly Josh provides, which are offered free of charge to families in need. The charity relies on fundraising efforts like Finn’s to continue its vital work in the community.
As Finn now takes time to rest, recover, and reflect on his achievement, the impact of his journey is already resonating throughout Rochdale.
His dedication to training and preparation for the race, which included several ultra-endurance events, has not only raised much-needed funds but also shone a light on the challenges faced by families caring for children with complex needs.
For more information about Jolly Josh and the services it offers, visit the website www.jollyjosh.co.uk