A running challenge for the BBC Children in Need appeal has become a team effort after a presenter was forced to withdraw because of a persistent foot injury. More than 30 colleagues from the BBC North West Tonight newsroom stepped in, collectively covering more than 160 miles on his behalf.
The presenter had originally agreed to complete 41 kilometres over two weeks for this year’s fundraising campaign. He described himself as an infrequent runner, despite putting on his trainers most mornings for about 18 months as part of an effort to keep fit and lose weight.
He had expected the distance to be manageable, particularly because many runners complete a marathon in a single outing. However, an existing foot problem worsened about four weeks before the planned challenge. Attempts to deal with the injury included icing and raising the foot, medication prescribed by a doctor and an X-ray.
Those measures did not produce the required recovery. By the end of October, the presenter said he could still do little more than hobble. The situation became clear during a planned training run on a wet Tuesday morning in Blackrod, near Horwich, when members of Lostock Athletics Club arrived to run the opening miles with him.
Instead of joining the group, he had to remain behind while the runners continued without him. The episode underlined the practical difficulty of pressing ahead with a physical challenge while injured, even when the cause is important and the deadline is approaching.
“We are a bit stubborn and think we’re not really hurt when we really are,” said Ian Burns, a Lostock Athletics Club member in his late 60s.
Burns also reflected on the difference between recovering from an injury now and doing so earlier in life. He said a minor injury could take him weeks to settle, whereas 10 years ago he might have expected to recover within a couple of days.
A change of plan
The presenter initially waited in the hope that his foot would improve. He said he used painkillers, while stressing that he did not exceed the recommended dose. When his condition failed to improve, he began looking for another way to complete the fundraising commitment.
That alternative emerged inside the newsroom. Rather than abandoning the challenge, he emailed colleagues to ask whether they could share the miles. The response turned an individual undertaking into a collective one, with staff members joining forces to ensure that the planned distance was covered.
| Part of the challenge | Details |
|---|---|
| Original target | 41 kilometres over two weeks |
| Reason for changing plan | A longstanding foot problem that did not improve |
| Colleagues involved | More than 30 |
| Distance completed collectively | More than 160 miles |
The response reflected the wider purpose of Children in Need, which has brought people together to raise money since it began in 1980. The presenter said the appeal’s strength lay in strangers working towards a common goal, a theme he had encountered repeatedly while meeting fundraisers and people who benefit from their efforts.
He recalled one particularly memorable example involving an elderly woman in Bootle, Merseyside. She had just collected her pension but still insisted on placing £20 into a collection bucket during a walk along the north-west coast. He also referred to Ella, who was supported by the appeal, although the available account does not provide further details about her circumstances.
The lesson behind the miles
The episode also carries a clear message about recognising injury before it becomes more serious. The presenter’s experience shows how quickly a seemingly straightforward target can change when pain persists, and how pressure to complete a commitment can make it difficult to accept that rest may be necessary.
His colleagues’ intervention provided a practical solution without requiring him to risk further damage. It also preserved the central aim of the challenge: raising support through participation. Rather than measuring success by one person’s ability to finish every kilometre, the newsroom treated the fundraiser as a shared responsibility.
For the presenter, the outcome meant that an injury did not have to end the campaign. For the colleagues who took part, it offered a way to contribute directly. And for Children in Need, the collective effort reinforced the appeal’s long-running emphasis on people combining their time and energy to help others.
