Debbie On 'Wight' Path As She Attempts To Run Around Island For Charity

A 28-year-old health worker from Stourport-on-Severn is attempting to run around the Isle of Wight in less than 24 hours.

The trek will commence next Monday (August 7), to raise funds for Help for Heroes – but brave Debbie Matthews has been left without a support driver for the challenge.

Debbie was inspired to raise money for the Armed Forces charity while on a run last year to support Diabetes UK.

During the second leg of her coast-to-coast run, from Southwold, in Norfolk, to the Midlands, she was struck by the sacrifices made by those at the Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial – which contains more than 3,000 American war dead.

The occupational health technician explained:

“I stood there and was inspired to complete the east-to-west portion of the run.

"I thought these people who are remembered here never had a choice; they had to fight for their country.

“I wanted to make my fundraising run an annual event, so I thought, in 2023, I want to give something back to our Armed Forces – and that’s why I chose Help for Heroes.

"I also wanted to raise the profile of the Charity, so veterans know there is support out there for them, whether it’s a physical or psychological injury they’re suffering from."

The second leg of her coast-to-coast came about after injury prevented her from completing the full run in 2021, forcing her to curtail the journey from Aberystwyth, in the Midlands.

The journey from Southwold was to complete the full run.

This year, the keen runner decided to see how many miles she could run in 24 hours in her hometown.

Running one-mile laps on a figure-of-eight circuit from a bar called TCs, she completed 86 miles – all while turning heads in a Supergirl outfit.

The following day, she hosted a quiz night in another local venue which saw a total of around £1,600 raised across the two days.

Running... runs in the family, with her father a keen athlete, but it was when she was 21 that Matthews started to see the benefits.

Her journey around the Island, anti-clockwise, will begin at 6am at the Prince of Wales pub in York Ave, East Cowes.

She will run alongside the River Medina, towards Cowes, arriving in Gurnard, at around 8am.

Further ‘evaluation’ stops will be at Hamstead (10.30am), ELM Memorial Obelisk, Freshwater (1.45pm), the Wight Mouse Inn, Ventnor (4pm), Shanklin (6.30pm), and Nettleston (8.30pm), before returning to the Prince of Wales between 10pm and midnight.

It all adds up to 77 miles of hard-core running in around 18 hours.

Help for Heroes Area Fundraising Manager, Rhys Edwards, said:

“The story of why Debbie chose to raise money for us is heartwarming, but the extent to which she is challenging herself is amazing. And we’re very grateful.

"The Isle of Wight is renowned for its hospitality so, given she no longer has a support car, I hope residents can give her a wave and a cheer as she passes by.”

Help for Heroes champions the Armed Forces community and helps them live well after service.

The charity helps them, and their families, to recover and get on with their lives. It has already supported more than 30,000 people and won’t stop until every veteran gets the support they deserve.

The Charity supports veterans from any branch of the UK military – regulars or reserves – irrespective of length or place of service, and locally embedded civilians (and their families) who worked alongside our Armed Forces.

You can support Debbie Matthews' round-the-Island run online.

To get support, visit helpforheroes.org.uk.