Wigan resident going the extra mile to support community groups

Dave Gibbons has set up Aspull Community 3, which involves taking on a labour-intensive task every other month to raise money for different grassroots organisations around Aspull and Haigh.

Dave started his campaign in March with the challenge of running the equivalent distance of three marathons over the course of the month.

Dave is now part-way through his second challenge, which involves covering 10 miles each day for the 31 days of May.

He spoke about putting in his gruelling efforts for the benefit of his local community and the organisations that support it, especially after the 12 months of the coronavirus pandemic in which fund-raising and doing activities has been extremely difficult.

Dave, 47, said: “I did a marathon over December raising money for motor neurone disease and wanted to do more challenges.

“I thought I could do them to help the local community rather than looking at wider, bigger organisations.

“The groups in Aspull could do with the money due to Covid.

“The name Aspull Community 3 comes from setting myself the task of running marathons, and I also had the idea of splitting the money from each challenge between three groups in the community.

“I also set up three levels of mileage for people to join in with junior, aspiring and excel challenger. There was also a family registration for up to five people to encourage activity across the whole family.”

In the end only one organisation came forward as the beneficiary of Dave’s inaugural challenge, with the cash going to Aspull Warriors Wrestling Club.

This time the pot is being divided between the 12th Wigan St David’s Brownies group, Aspull Juniors Football Club and Aspull Church School.

Dave says he hopes to keep the bi-monthly challenges running for two years, by the end of which he believes he will have been able to offer support to the vast majority of groups in Aspull and Haigh.

He will then decide whether or not to keep going supporting organisations for a second time or helping new groups which have sprung up in the mean time.

Everyone who signs up and then successfully completes their challenge level receives a certificate and a medal.

Dave’s love of physical challenges partly stems from an extraordinary weight-loss programme which has seen him shed 16 stone over the past three years.

He was inspired to get fitter after tipping the scales at 30 stone and experiencing severe problems with his mental health.

To find out more, visit www.facebook.com/AspullCommunity3

If you value what we do and are able to support us, a digital subscription is just £1 for your first month. Try us today by clicking here and viewing our offers.