Vet's marathon challenge hits Shropshire

Brian Faulkner is running no fewer than 31 marathons in 31 days throughout August in aid of the charity StreetVet, which offers free veterinary care for animals of the homeless. He is running the length of the country, from John O’Groats to Land’s End, ending up there on August 31 – his 50th birthday.

After running through north Shropshire to Shrewsbury yesterday, the route today will take him from the county town to Ludlow. Tomorrow, he will make his way through South Shropshire and into Hereford.

The vet, from Suffolk, a former Petplan vet of the year, had never run more than 10 kilometres until four years ago. However, after being challenged to run the London Marathon he took the race in his stride. He went on the next year to run 10 marathons in 10 days. But StreetVet’s amazing work has inspired him to push himself further and embark on this even more gruelling journey. Well-wishers can check his progress and donate at jogle2020.co.uk

StreetVet has performed more than 4,500 free consultations for pets of people of ‘no fixed abode’. It currently operates in 16 towns, cities and regions around the UK, but has plans to roll out to many more, such is the scale of the homelessness epidemic.

Many rough sleepers chose to remain on the streets during Covid-19, as rarely would the emergency accommodation accept dogs.

Mr Faulkner said: “My biggest concern for the run is injury, so I’ll have to hope everything holds up, although I will really miss my family too. It’s the longest time I will ever have been away from them.”