Tony Stokes will be taking part in the 100K Jurassic Coast Trek between 17th and 18th May with the ambitious goal of completing a gruelling 100km trek within 24 hours. The event will raise vital funds for Havens Hospices, the charity that provided specialist care and support to his friend Matt and his family during their toughest times.
Tony made the decision to take on this challenge to give back and express his gratitude for the incredible care Matt received, as well as to honour his memory.
Tony said, “Havens Hospices provided fantastic care and support to not only Matt, but his incredible wife and children both during and after Matt’s time there.
“Anyone who was lucky enough to know Matt would know he had a personality that would light up any room he walked in and was always an absolute pleasure to be around. He’s missed dearly, and I wanted to do something for him and honour his memory.”
The 100K Jurassic Coast Trek involves walking and running the equivalent of two and a half marathons, back-to-back, through the stunning but challenging terrain of the Jurassic Coast. While the challenge will be incredibly tough, Tony is determined to push through with Matt’s resilience in mind.
“This will be extremely tough and a real challenge, yet still doesn’t come close to everything Matt went through, he always showed incredible pride and resilience.” He continued: “Many years ago, I did the London to Brighton Trek 100km, and that was the hardest thing I’ve ever done—harder than the Marathon. So I was looking around for something to really test myself in the name of Matt. This trek is going to be so tough, but seeing what Matt went through every day, this won’t even compare. I’ll be thinking of him every step of the way.”
Tony will be joined on this journey by his friend Dan, who has been a huge motivator for the challenge and is assisting with their training. Although Tony admits to feeling a bit nervous about the distance, he is fuelled by the motivation to give back to the charity.
“I didn’t know much about Havens Hospices before this, but hearing about how well Matt was treated in there and what was done for him and his family makes me want to give something back. I’m a little bit nervous because it’s not every day you do two and a half marathons back to back, but this will be nothing compared to what Matt and his family went through, so I’m trying to use that as my motivation.”
Tony is now calling on the local community to support him in his quest to raise vital funds for Havens Hospices by making a donation to his JustGiving page. Every donation, no matter how small, will make a difference in supporting the hospice charity, which cares for people of all ages who have been diagnosed with an incurable condition. The charity, which includes Fair Havens adult’s hospice and Little Havens children’s hospice, must raise more than £209,000 a week to be there for everyone who needs them.
You can support Tony’s fundraising efforts by donating through his JustGiving page: www.justgiving.com/page/tony-stokes-2
Published on Wednesday 9th April 025
