Merry Hill security guards ready to put best foot forward on Dudley Trail
A group of intrepid, fundraising security guards are set to go the extra mile to raise funds for the Air Ambulance charity as they take on the Dudley Trail.
The six super-fit colleagues from Bravo Unit security at the Merry Hill Centre will be putting their best foot forward and following in the footsteps of the famous SAS on Saturday.
Mark Slater, Leigh Mansell, Paul Walker, Matthew Potts, Matt Barker and Bill Dawkins will set out to complete the 28-mile Dudley Trail, which will take them around the borough on a route that showcases the green spaces and historical sites of Dudley through Stourbridge, Cradley, Wombourne and Sedgley.
The Dudley Trail was an annual walking festival across Dudley borough for many years, taking place over routes of six, nine, 12, 20 and 28 miles, and while it has not been held since the closure of Dudley Leisure Centre, the route is still available to do.
The walk will be in support of Midlands Air Ambulance and is the latest in a number of big walking challenges that Bravo Unit have completed, including completing the special forces "Fan Dance" selection route over Pen y Fan, the highest mountain in the Brecon Beacons, in 2024.
Matt Barker had completed the Fan Dance challenge individually in 2021 and spoke about what the team would be doing on Saturday.
He said: "We're Bravo Unit from security at the Merry Hill Centre and we're going to be taking on the 28-mile Dudley Trail on Saturday.
"Every penny that we raise will be going towards Midland Air Ambulance, so if everyone could just help us out a little bit, that would be much appeciated.
"We're all ready for the challenge and really looking forward to raising some money for charity, with a target of £500."
To find out more about the challenge and to donate, go to the event page on JustGiving.com
