A man who survived a stroke against the odds is about to set out on a challenge to raise funds for a nature reserve which became his lifeline.
Kevin Kerr, of Carlisle, suffered the near-fatal stroke five years ago, at the age of 54, but he lost the use of left side of his body.
Today, he is unable to use his left arm and can only walk for around 20 metres or so. Despite this, he plans to walk a complete circuit of Watchtree Nature Reserve, near Wiggonby, which is something he has never done.
Prior to the stroke, Kevin had an active job and played in a rock band but he was left unable to do anything like that. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, he started to become depressed, especially as he could no longer volunteer at an animal rescue centre due to restrictions.
Kevin and his wife Kathryn bought a dog, Poppy, to give him companionship. They began visiting Watchtree Nature Reserve, to take Poppy for walks. Kevin was using a mobility scooter but was keen to try an adapted trike from Watchtree Wheelers to improve his fitness and mental health.
He now has his own trike and travels around the reserve with a group of friends, the Watchtree Bird Feeders, refilling the reserve’s bird feeders and meeting up in Watchtree’s café several times a week.
He wanted to set himself a challenge and raise cash for the reserve at the same time and plans to walk the reserve’s two-mile perimeter.
He will start on June 8 and thinks it will take around six weeks to complete to the circuit. He wants to complete it by his 59th birthday on July 12.
Kevin said: “I know this is going to be a tough challenge – currently I can only manage 20m at a time before needing to rest, but I’m hoping my strength and fitness will increase over the course of the six weeks. It would also be fantastic to raise money for Watchtree at the same time – a place that has helped me so much, both physically and mentally.”
Watchtree Nature Reserve manager Ryan Dobson said: “It has been fantastic to see the progress Kevin has made in his recovery and we are proud that Watchtree has played such a large part in helping him, both from a social aspect and also the accessibility of the reserve in giving him freedom to help as a volunteer. We are honoured that Kevin has chosen this challenge to benefit Watchtree and we will support him every step of the way.”
To sponsor Kevin, visit https://watchtree.enthuse.com/cf/kevins-watchtree-walk
