Army officer running 5km every day for an entire year to raise £1,000 for Armed Forces charity SSAFA

Warrant officer Peter Hope R.A. will be running three miles every day throughout 2021 to support SSAFA, the Armed Forces Charity.

Already almost halfway through his challenge, Hayling Island resident Peter has raised almost £800 to help the charity, which supported 85,000 people in need last year from Second World War veterans to younger men and women.

Peter, who has served at Baker Barracks on Thorney Island for most of the past 24 years, said: ‘Although the distance is not massive it will certainly be challenging, come rain or shine, work or holiday I will either be running 5km outside or on a treadmill each day.’

Since joining the army back in 1998, Newcastle-born Peter has travelled the world including Cyprus, Canada and Australia.

He also served in front-line duties, serving time in Iraq and Afghanistan when the Royal Artillery were seconded into the infantry.

With just a year’s service left until retirement, Peter is now part of 7th Air Defence Group in charge of third party users of the island.

Although it is a military base, the island is home to more than 70 clubs and businesses with a possible 2,000 civilians arriving and leaving the island on a weekly basis.

It is Peter’s job to make sure these people are not a security risk, and his team is always on guard to keep the barracks safe.

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Peter said: ‘This last year [of pandemic] has been more of a risk than any terrorist activity as we have had to close down most of the clubs and businesses owing to Covid, although things are getting back to normality now.’

With retirement looming, Peter thought he would like to do something for charity and he is well on the way to raising his target of £1,000 for the charity.

On his retirement in June next year Peter hopes to take up teaching physical training.

He has been dedicated to the challenge so far, and has shared updates each day from his Strava account to show the day’s completed route.

Visit justgiving.com/peter-hope3756 to learn more, track Peter’s progress and donate.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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