Landlords hope to raise thousands for Help for Heroes with gruelling challenges

Tom Bellis, 32, who manages the Sugar Mill, in Milestone Road, Bourne, will start on Sunday, September 4, with the

Man vs Mountain adventure race in Wales. He and brother Matthew will take on the 22-mile course.

The next day, Tom will be joined by Keith Fletcher, who runs the Apple Cart pub in Peterborough, and Keith’s colleague Sam Edley, and together they will cycle from Newcastle to Carlisle while towing a barrel of beer.

On Tuesday, September 6, the pair will climb 3,560 ft to the summit of Snowdon, in Wales, while carrying the barrel on a stretcher and the day after that they will be jumping out of a plane over Cumbria with the Red Devils – the army’s parachute display team.

On Thursday, September 7, they will climb Scafell Pike, the highest mountain in England, again with the barrel, and the following day they will climb Ben Nevis in Scotland – the highest mountain in British Isles.

On the Saturday, Tom and Keith will complete the Tough Mudder obstacle course in Cheshire, before finishing the hugely difficult ‘Week of Madness’ with the Great North Run on the Sunday.

Tom said: “Keith and I both manage Marston’s pubs and we have invited staff at 200 others in the group to do similar fundraising events for our chosen charity, Help for Heroes, and we want each pub to raise at least £250.

“It’s a charity which the company has close ties with and we will be carrying a barrel of special Help for Heroes beer – which Marston’s sells regularly – with us during the cycling, climbing and running events.”

On the final day of the challenge, a family fun day with face-painting, puppet shows and a bouncy castle will be held at the Sugar Mill to help give the fundraising total a final boost.

Tom, who is due to marry fiancee Sian French just three days later, said he is looking forward to the week of challenges.

He added: “I do a quite a bit of running and I’m on my feet all day at work, so I’m fit but it will be tough doing so many challenges back-to-back.

“I think we’ll need a lot of ice packs to ease our aches and pains but it will be worth it to support such a great charity.”

Last year Tom raised around £1,600 for Asthma UK by successfully completing the Man vs Mountain course but is pushing himself much harder this time around.

Keith, 30, said he and Tom have currently got 130 pubs signed up for fundraising activities and he hopes the total raised will exceed £100,000.

He added: “I’m not particularly fit but have been cycling, running or swimming every day in preparation. It’ll be tough but I’m really excited.”

To support Tom, Keith and Sam with a donation, visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Sugarmill-Bourne or www.justgiving.com/fundraising/applecart-peterborough