Pub couple ready to challenge themselves for charity
The landlords of a city pub are deep into training for huge charity challenges they are preparing to take on.
Terry and Emma Cole, who run the Royal Oak in Chapel Ash in Wolverhampton, are both putting in the hard yards and miles ahead of events that will raise much needed funds for charities close to their hearts.
Emma, 35, will pound the pavements as part of the Wolves 10K on Sunday, March 27, while 42-year-old Terry will join friends Patrick Tarpey and Stuart Mackintosh in a 22-mile trek along the beaches of Normandy on June 6, D-Day.
Emma said she had taken on a 5K run around West Park last year and had decided to push herself further to help Midland Freewheelers Blood Bikers.
She said: "I did the 5K for charity a few months ago after speaking to a customer who was doing it and now I'm completely hooked to it and ready to do this run on Mothers day.
"The training has been going really well after a slow start as I joined a gym and got on the treadmill, then started running in the winter when it was really hard and cold and slippery, but I'm getting further and further now.
"It's great to do this for Freewheelers as we have a lot of bikers who come in here and who work with the air ambulance with blood supply and they will be there supporting me on the day, along with Terry and our regulars."
The Wolves 10K will start and end at Wolves Molineux Stadium, with Emma among thousands of people taking part in the run through the streets around Molineux.
For Terry, the task is a greater one as he, Patrick and Stuart will attempt to walk 22 miles in eight hours from Arromanche-les-Bains to Pegasus Bridge over sand dunes, through marsh land and pebble beaches.
He said he had been putting in the training miles each day to do the challenge for Combat Stress and had always wanted to walk the beaches of Normandy.
He said: "It's been a long time since I was able to go there and I'll admit I've always wanted to do this challenge.
"Combat Stress is very close to me as my brother is a serving soldier and my other brother has retired from the service and we've seen the effects of conflict on the people who have been in Afghanistan and Iraq and the charity does so much to help them.
"It's worth a day of discomfort to raise funds for this charity and we'll start at 6.30am, which is virtually the time the boys landed on the beach, so there is a lot of symbolism there."
The couple also have their own fundraising targets, with Emma looking to raise £1,000 and Terry working to raise £3,000.
Terry said it was part of the ethos of the Royal Oak to help others and do charitable work.
He said: "Everything we do here regarding events is linked to a charity and we know that customers will come out if it's for charity and it just makes people feel good."
Emma said: "I hope we can inspire people to do challenges for charity. I have a friend who is doing the 10K with me, so if I can do, anybody can do it."
