TVLB rescued one of our dogs, Dexter, from the bottom of a nearby coastal cliff after an accident last September. The speed of their response and rescue allowed Dexter to receive timely medical treatment for the multiple fractures to one of his legs, and since make a full recovery. For this we are extremely grateful to all the volunteers at TVLB.

I was hoping to run the GNR this year in aid of TVLB however when the event was cancelled due to COVID-19 I instead took on the Great North Run solo challenge at the end of June.

The challenge is to run 40 times before the 13th September (the date in which the 2020 Great North Run was due to take place) with each run marking the number of years that the Great North Run has taken place since its inauguration in 1981.

In addition to completing the solo challenge and covering over 250 miles in the process, I also decided to sign up to the Virtual Great North Run (half marathon) on the 13th September. This run will mark my completion of the solo challenge.  

I am going to run the half marathon with our dogs, Ronnie (1 year old working cocker spaniel) for the 1st half and Dexter (2 year old working cocker spaniel) for the 2nd half which will be an amazing achievement not only for them but myself.

2020 has been a challenging year for all of us, but I recognise that through the cancellation of annual fundraising events, such as the Great North Run, charities have missed out massively in donations.  I see this as opportunity to not only personally thank TVLB for their efforts last year, but also to help plug the overall gap in charitable donations this year.

Anything you could spare for this great cause would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, Stu

TVLB, based from the Watch House Museum in Tynemouth, operate a coastal rescue team covering the North Tyneside area, as well as the tidal reaches of the River Tyne. They rely entirely on voluntary donations to ensure their team of volunteers have access to high quality equipment and training – allowing them to provide a fast and efficient response to a wide range of incidents. Their free-to-visit museum chronicles the areas rich history of maritime rescue, and acts as a basis for their outreach work focused on water and sea safety awareness.