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Man raises almost £1,500 after running the whole Taff Trail in one day

News | Tom Hicks | Published: 09:47, Tuesday November 14th, 2023.
Last updated: 09:47, Tuesday November 14th, 2023

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Andrew with family after completing the race
Andrew with family after completing the race

Andrew Gooding, from Llanbradach, has ran, walked, and hiked more than 90km to raise almost £1,500 in honour of his late grandfather, who had dementia.

Andrew set off down the Taff Trail at around 5.30am on Sunday November 12, and took 14 hours to make the journey from Bannau Brycheiniog to Cardiff Bay.

Speaking to Caerphilly Observer before the run, the 32-year-old said the trail would prove a “massive challenge”, but would be determined to complete it in memory of his late grandfather, Raymond Gordon Richard Lee, who passed away in April, aged 89.

One in 11 people in the UK have dementia, according to the NHS.

Man set to run Taff Trail in honour of late grandfather who suffered from dementia

Tired and sore after the run, Andrew said: “When I set off in the dark and rain it was a bit treacherous I’ll be honest. There was a lot of road running and I even lost signal for three hours.

“As well as losing signal, I got lost myself a few times, the trail is actually 86km but I managed to run over 90 due to the extra steps I took.”

Andrew embarked on a 14-hour journey from Bannau Brycheiniog to Cardiff Bay
Andrew embarked on a 14-hour journey from Bannau Brycheiniog to Cardiff Bay

Andrew ran the ‘Taffy’ Trail – a nickname given to his grandfather by his Chatham Town teammates when he played there during national service – just a few days before what would have been Mr Lee’s 90th birthday.

Raising money for both Dementia UK and the Aneurin Bevan Health Charity, Andrew said the run was an emotional one: “There were times when I really thought about my grandad. My brother joined me on the trail for 36km and we laughed at how Grandad would’ve found us getting lost in the rain amusing.

Andrew’s nan, Dawn Gloria Lee, and grandfather

“When I got to the finish line down Cardiff Bay at around 7.30 that evening, it was a feeling of relief. I just had to put one foot in front of the other and keep going.”

To donate to Andrew’s two charities, visit his givewheel fundraising page.

Andrew wore this t-shirt during his walk, with pictures of his grandfather on the sleeves
Andrew wore this t-shirt during his walk, with pictures of his grandfather on the sleeves

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Andrew Gooding
Andrew Gooding/Strava
Andrew Gooding
Andrew Gooding

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