Follow Richard's footsteps and Walk All Over Cancer this June

An Addenbrooke's worker who's raised over £6,000 for Cancer Research UK by walking 10,000 miles is urging other people to walk 10,000 steps a day for the charity this June.

Richard Butler, from Cambridge, hopes other people will follow in his footsteps and get sponsored to walk 10,000 steps a day, every day, throughout June, in support of the charity’s live-saving research.

Richard Butler first started fundraising for Cancer Research UK when he took on Dryathlon in January 2015 and decided to combine it with walking as many miles as he could in a month. The challenge snowballed into him walking as far as he could in a year.

Twelve months later and he had reached the 5,000 mile mark – he has now walked more than 10,000 miles for the charity and on 1st June, when Walk All Over Cancer begins, he is going one step further and having parts of his body waxed to raise extra funds.

Richard says walking has changed his life, it’s helped him get fitter and it’s helped him with his mental health as well. He now leads a weekly lunchtime walk for Addenbrooke’s staff and also leads walks at weekends with a social group in Cambridge.

Richard said: “Walking has become part of my daily routine now and I think it will be for life. I get up early before work so I can have a morning walk and I never fail to get out at lunchtime for a walk whatever the weather. At the weekends I go on longer walks.

“It’s made a big difference to me, I used to suffer from low self-esteem and depression but this has really helped. Now I’m walking with other people and I can see it’s helping them. I’d encourage anyone to take part in this challenge, it’s a great excuse to walk more.

“So many of us know someone who’s had cancer or is going through treatment right now. One in two of us will be diagnosed with cancer at some point in our lifetime so I wanted to do something to help raise money in support of Cancer Research UK. Every stride taken and every donation made will help fund the charity’s ground-breaking research.”

Based on the average person’s strides, 10,000 steps equates to approximately five miles or eight kilometres per day and adopting small lifestyle changes can go a long way towards achieving the goal.

Nicky Embleton, Cancer Research UK’s spokesperson for the East, said: “Richard really has gone the extra mile – or extra 10,000 miles – for Cancer Research UK! We can’t thank him enough for his efforts. We hope when people see what a positive impact walking has had on Richard’s life that they will follow in his footsteps.

“Taking part in Walk All Over Cancer is a great way to fundraise for Cancer Research UK. Ten thousand steps per day is quite a challenge for many people. Some of us spend our days transferring from seat to seat - whether that’s driving to work, sitting at a desk or enjoying a boxset on the sofa. By signing up to Walk All Over Cancer, participants will start to realise all the opportunities they have to squeeze in some extra steps!

“We’d love to see lots of people in Cambridge sign up to Walk All Over Cancer this June and help raise money to fund research into the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer.”

To sign up and download motivation tools including a wall chart, leader board and sponsorship form, visit www.cruk.org/walkallover.

To support Richard visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/richard-butler-dryathlete2015