Inspired by Captain/Colonel Tom Moore, Andrew Johnston, who
spent 20 years in the Army, serving in the Coldstream Guards, has wheeled the 26 miles 385 yards of the marathon distance in his 10 yard-long kitchen/family room.  He has wheeled 4615 lengths of the
kitchen/family room to achieve the marathon distance at the rate of 100 lengths of the room or 1,000 yards per day.  He started his challenge on 21^st April, the Queen’s 94^th birthday and reached the marathon distance on 6^th June, the 76^th anniversary of D-Day. 

Andrew was discharged for medical reasons in 1996, having
contracted Multiple Sclerosis, the first symptoms of which manifested
themselves towards the end of a demanding operational tour of Bosnia during the civil war there.  He has been dependent on a wheelchair since March 1995.  In January 2018, he contracted flu and pneumonia at the same time, spending five days in Salisbury District Hospital ICU and just over two weeks recuperating and rehabilitating on the Spinal Unit. 
This episode caused significant weight and muscle loss, increased MS
related fatigue and some residual breathing difficulties.

Having completed his marathon, Andrew has not stopped there.  He is continuing his challenge for another week, wheeling a further 665 lengths, to clock up 30 miles when he finishes on Saturday 13^th June, the Queen’s official birthday, traditionally the day that the Trooping the Colour is held.  Thirty five years’ ago on the equivalent weekend in 1985, Andrew played a central role in the key moments of the ceremony.  In his role as Subaltern of the Escort, he took temporary command of the Escort to the Colour as it marched forward to collect the colour and then trooped it through the ranks of the other 7 Guards.  As there is no ceremony this year, going the extra miles is his own Royal Salute to the Queen.

He is raising money for six charities.  They are: 

- NHS Charities Together; 

- Combat Stress, the veterans’ mental health charity 

- Wessex MS Therapy Centre, Warminster, Wiltshire; 

- La Folia, a Salisbury-based music charity;  

- Racing Welfare;

- Motcombe Village Hall, supporting local individuals and groups in need.

Please consider supporting one or more of these charities, the NHS charities and one other perhaps?

In addition to the tremendous work that is going on all across the NHS during the COVID-19 crisis, I and my family owe a great personal debt to the NHS.  NHS staff at Salisbury District Hospital (SDH) have saved my life on two occasions. Once in early January 2000, when an abscess burst in my groin, and I had to go undergo an emergency operation prior to undergoing 6 months of further operations and rehabilitation.  Secondly, in January 2018, when I contracted flu and pneumonia at the same time, spending ive days in ICU and just over two weeks recuperating and rehabilitating on the Spinal Unit.  Throughout the 26 years that I have had MS, I have been a regular user of other NHS services, including the A&E department at SDH, the Dorset Neurological Service at Poole Hospital, Continence Service, Community Rehabilitation Service, Wheelchair Service, my local surgery in Gillingham, Dorset and, at least once a month, the District Nurses.  The A&E department at SDH also provided outstanding care at the time of our daughter’s death from secondary breast cancer and pneumonia in May 2018. Furthermore, the NHS in the form of St Georges in Tooting, SDH and our local surgery and District Nurses,  provided outstanding treatment and palliative care to my brother-in-law between November and February, who died with us on 21 March this year.

Please donate generously