A police staff supervisor from Wall Heath near Kingswinford has been named as this week’s charity champion, after undertaking a series of gruelling challenges and raising over £4200 for Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity.

Don Whitehouse, who works for West Midlands Police, undertook not one, but four Wolf Runs last year. The event sees participants take on a 10k off-road run across a varied terrain of woodland, fields, mud and water, with natural and man-made obstacles plotted along the way to really test the runners both physically and mentally.  

Don’s wife, Kerry, is a fundraising ambassador and volunteer for Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity and it’s through her work that he was inspired to raise money for the hospital. He comments: “My wife is a longstanding supporter of the charity, so I am familiar with all the great care and support offered by the hospital. Knowing that I could make a difference to the quality of life for children receiving medical care really spurred me on to complete the challenges and accomplish ‘Alpha Wolf’ status.”    

He continues: “I was able to complete some of the runs with close friends and family, which made it fun and helped boost my fundraising total. Plus, along with raising money for charity, completing these events also helped me to overcome my fear of water, which really added to my experience and gave me an incredible sense of achievement.”

Serena Daw, Public Fundraising Manager at Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity, comments: “The determination of our fundraisers never fails to amaze me, and Don’s effort to undertake four separate and gruelling challenges shows his dedication to supporting our charity. Our hospital treats over 90,000 children and young people from across the country every year, and the money Don has raised will make a huge difference, ensuring we can offer them the best possible experience while they are with us.”