Freemason Guy Smith to Run 200‑Mile ‘Temple Tour’ Across Northumberland for Alzheimer’s Research

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Local man Guy Smith, is embarking on a staggering four-day, 200‑mile challenge, visiting every Masonic Temple across Northumberland to raise funds for Alzheimer’s Research UK.

Transcript

00:00Yes, a Northumberland Freemason is lacing up for the ultimate test of endurance and heart.

00:0750-year-old Guy Smith from Gosfath is preparing to run at more than 200 miles in just four days,

00:13visiting every Masonic temple across the province of Northumberland,

00:17all to raise money for Alzheimer's Research UK.

00:21I'm a Freemason in the province of Northumberland.

00:24I'm also a plumbing and heating engineer and a seasoned ultramarathon runner.

00:29I've decided to embark on a 200-mile ultramarathon,

00:34taking me to and from every single Masonic temple in the province of Northumberland,

00:40which will be starting at Berwick Masonic Hall,

00:43and it'll be heading zigzagging down the coastline to Whitley Bay,

00:48all the way along the Tyne, North Shields, Wall's End, Newcastle,

00:53and then it'll be heading out to the Tyne Valley and finally concluding at Hulk Whistle.

00:58I'm hoping that this will take me four days maximum

01:03because I do have other big commitments, shall we say.

01:08Well, I've decided to do this run for the Alzheimer's Society.

01:11Normally I would pick other charities, local charities and things like that,

01:15but unfortunately this year in January I lost my mum due to Alzheimer's.

01:20She didn't struggle too badly with it, but it was enough.

01:24And the more people you speak to her about, it's touched so many people.

01:28It's an awful thing to witness when your loved one doesn't really recognise you anymore.

01:34And it's, you know, it is very, very fast and progressive.

01:40Well, it kind of was with my mum.

01:43But she was fortunate enough not to get it too badly.

01:48But unfortunately she did pass away in January.

01:51So I thought I would try and do a little bit for Alzheimer's.

01:55Maybe even if it's just a point of raising a little bit of awareness.

02:00I set my original sponsorship target at £3,000.

02:04I very, very quickly broke that target and it got up to £4,500.

02:10And I thought, well, I'll increase the target to £5,000.

02:14And I've now exceeded that and it's still going, it's ongoing.

02:18I'm hoping through the next four days of the run,

02:21every Masonic Temple I get to, somebody may be there with a cheque for me

02:26or some sort of pledge of a donation.

02:29So I hope to raise an awful lot of more money for such a worthwhile cause.

02:33He'll run through the day and night, stopping only for brief power naps

02:37and expects the journey to push him beyond his physical and mental limits.

02:42And if that wasn't enough, just one day after finishing this challenge,

02:46Guy will join thousands more for the Great North Run.

02:49I'm not sure it'll be a Great North Run.

02:51It may be a Great North stagger or even a crawl,

02:54but it will be my 25th Great North Run.

02:57So I really don't want to miss it.

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