A CHARITY fundraiser is taking a well-earned rest after a year of challenges saw her reach an astonishing £25,000.
Sarah Tate walked, swam and cycled her way to the huge total in aid of four charities, two of them – Andy’s Man Club Oldham and Tameside and Glossop Mind – after the death of close friends Andrew Ives and Kaye Flynn.
Now she is putting her feet up after completing 12 months of effort and physical challenges to achieve her total.
That included a 30-mile trek in 12 hours, the mileage of which was inspired by Andrew, from Stalybridge, who will be forever 30 after taking his life last year just a month after his 30th birthday.
Other charities were also helped along the way but her main ones were Andy’s Man Club, in memory of Andrew, TOG Mind, in memory of Kaye, Dr Kershaw’s Hospice, in memory of Keith Walker, and Leesfield Pre-School, which her daughters attended, in honour of the amazing staff.
Now the year is over, Sarah looked back with pride.
She said: “We did 12 months of active fundraising, 12 months of physical challenges, be it one-off events or walking five kilometres every day for a month or swimming.
“All the charities mean something to me. I’m either doing it in memory of someone or in honour of the pre-school staff who have just been phenomenal.
“Without the support I gave them last year, they wouldn’t have opened in September. So it was crucial I stepped in as I didn’t want them to fold.
“And I did a daily challenge through February, taking a trip down memory lane and replicating some of the challenges I’d done.
“That was walking 70 kilometres, we’ve done triathlons, done sitting in flower pots of cold water, I’ve climbed 36 flights of stairs at Oldham Civic Centre in a nod to out former mayor Jenny Harrison and current mayor, Elaine Garry, as I did things for their charities back in November and December.
“My final challenge was cycling 70 miles, the furthest I’ve gone is 96 in honour of the late Queen, so I said I’d do 70 miles in honour of her years of service.
“I’m going to get withdrawals but as a family I need this break. It consumed not only my life but my partner’s, my kids’, my work, my friends’, everybody.
“It’s hard enough to organise one event, I had to organise 28 back to back!
“I’ll have that bit of a break but I’m not hanging up my boots completely.
“But I’m not an organisation or a charity – I’m just this fat bird from Oldham who wanted to do her bit!”
