Tiverton man raises £5,000 for Hospiscare with epic road trip
A Tiverton man has raised £5,000 for local charity Hospiscare after completing an epic 8,000-mile tour of the British coast in memory of his sister.
Jim Bray took 58 days to drive around the British Isles and some of its larger islands, including Skye, Mull, Orkney and Anglesey.
Hospiscare cared for his sister, Emma Ansley, before she died aged 48 following a four-year battle with cancer.
Sunday 23 March will mark the third anniversary of her passing.
When visiting the charity to hand over the cheque, Jim became the first person to be presented with one of its new “Hospiscare Hero” medals.
“It was an epic and memorable journey, made all the more rewarding by the many generous donations for Hospiscare,” said Jim, the former manager of Tiverton Pannier Market.
“I would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who contributed, especially the kind folk who gave substantial sums to take the total to £5,000.
“Hospiscare provides outstanding care to over 2,000 people a year at the end of their lives – and every donation will help to ensure that many more patients benefit from these vital services in future.”
The mammoth road trip was entitled “Exploring Britain’s Coast and Seaside Pubs”.
Jim drove anti-clockwise around Britain in his Land Rover Discovery, starting at the iconic harbour in Tenby, Pembrokeshire, in late July last year and finishing at the same spot in early October.
He travelled more than 7,800 miles in total – an average of around 135 miles a day.
Jim, aged 45, documented his journey on social media, sharing daily blogs, photos and videos.
He took around 10,000 photos in total, including of 691 beaches, 126 lighthouses, 126 piers and jetties, 104 small islands, 73 castles, 60 bridges, 45 churches, 15 waterfalls and 233 towers and other buildings.
He also photographed countless bays, coves, cliffs, caves, sea stacks, mountains, lochs, harbours, pubs, roads and much more.
“The best part was definitely the Scottish Highlands, especially the wild, beautiful and mountainous west coast, which stands apart from anything else,” said Jim, who funded the trip himself, staying in B&Bs and hotels.
“Skye, Mull, Northumberland, Yorkshire and Suffolk were also among my favourite finds, while it was great to revisit the timeless beauty of Devon, Cornwall, Dorset and Pembrokeshire.”
Alice Pragnell, corporate and events co-ordinator for Hospiscare, said: “We are so thankful to Jim for embarking on this epic journey in memory of Emma.
“The money raised will make an incalculable difference to other patients and their families, enabling Hospiscare to be there for them during some of the most difficult times imaginable.
“As a local charity, we receive just 24% of our funding from the NHS and we rely on the generous support of our community to fund our services, so it was with huge feelings of gratitude, pride and privilege that we presented Jim with a coveted Hospiscare Hero medal.
“Thanks to Jim’s efforts and determination, other local people will feel the safe embrace of Hospiscare when it’s most needed.
“The ripple effects of Jim’s decision to take on his coastal adventure will be felt by so many in our community, and we hope some of you reading this may even be inspired to take on your own challenge for Hospiscare.
“Time is precious and every day matters, so if you’d like to know how you can help support your local hospice, please get in touch.
“E-mail events@hospiscare.co.uk or give us a ring on 01392 688020.”
Jim has been visiting more picturesque places in recent months, mainly closer to home, as part of his “Discovering Devon, Somerset and beyond” venture on Facebook.
