A Keswick man has completed the Bob Graham Round to raise funds for a charity which supports young people with cancer.
William Brown, team leader at Booths café in Keswick, completed the Bob Graham Round on Saturday in aid of Flynne’s Barn.
The Bob Graham Round is one of the UK’s most demanding endurance challenges, comprising a 66-mile circuit with 27,000 feet of ascent across 42 of the Lake District’s highest peaks, all within 24 hours.
William, who has raised over £1,500 so far with his efforts, set off at midnight on Saturday and returned 22 hours and 40 minutes later, 40 minutes ahead of his estimated time.
He was supported by a team of 13 pacers and navigators, some local and others from across the North of England.
Flynne’s Barn’s patron, legendary fell runner Billy Bland held the Bob Graham Round record from 1982 until 2018.
William said: “I’ve had the round in my sights, more or less, since I started running 10 years ago.
“I’ve always been in awe of people who have run it, but I hadn’t felt strong enough to attempt it myself before now. I heard about Flynne’s Barn through Booths in Keswick, where I work, and something just clicked.”
Reflecting on the round, he added: “It was a fantastic experience. I was blessed with lovely weather and a great support crew.
“The miles and mountains passed mainly in a blur, with only a few gruelling climbs testing my resolve.
“I flagged at times but I never felt like quitting, and a visit from Billy Bland at Honister really made my day – as did the donations to my fundraising page that kept pinging on my phone. My feet are blistered, my quads are sore, but I can move and I don’t feel too exhausted!”
Every year around 2,300 15 to 24-year-olds are diagnosed with cancer in the UK. Young people face long treatments and stints in hospital, and the anxiety, isolation and trauma of severe illness. The psychological effects are often profound and long-lasting, and the inequality with most peers is stark.
Katherine Bonner and Robin Ewart-Biggs watched their teenage daughter, Flynne, experience a cancer diagnosis and subsequent treatment.
After her death, they set up Flynne’s Barn in Borrowdale to support the physical and mental wellbeing of young people aged 13 to 25 across the UK living with, and beyond, cancer.
The charity provides a unique lifeline at a time when young people with cancer need it the most, offering them free residential stays and one-to-one counselling.
Katherine said: “Having heard so much about our patron Billy Band’s remarkable 1982 Bob Graham Round record, it was wonderful to hear that William had decided to take it on and raise funds for Flynne’s Barn.
“The scene up at Honister, as he came in to refuel before the final leg will stay with me. Billy offering words of encouragement to Will, the pacing crew mustering and the light of a shimmering day on the fells fading into an evening glow. A collective effort around one remarkable and highly-focused man.”
“William has achieved a personal goal but also so much more. He’s raised the profile of the work we do here at Flynne’s Barn and has inspired so many of the young people living with cancer whom we support. He’s given our team a real boost and has raised funds to ensure we can continue our work here in beautiful Borrowdale.”
To learn more about Flynne’s Barn and support William, visit flynnesbarn.org/fundraiser/williams-bob-graham-round/
