Former Queen's guard starts walking challenge for Marie Curie and British Heart Foundation
14:22, 01 June 2022
updated: 14:23, 01 June 2022
An ex-grenadier guard, who once roller-skated 53 miles for charity, has embarked on a new fund-raising challenge.
David Baker, who lives at Hoo Marina Park, has set himself the challenge of walking around a bowls club for two hours every day for a week, in an effort to raise money for Marie Curie and the British Heart Foundation.
Watch David set off on his first day
The 82-year-old said: "I thought it would be a good idea and now want to raise as much as possible. Although, it is more about doing it than the amount.
"It is for a good cause. I see people standing on the corners with trays for Marie Curie and I have seen people do things for the British Heart Foundation so I wanted to do something for it.
"I have five stents in my heart which I had put in at a hospital in Cambridgeshire. I had a sudden heart attack and did not know about it and that was it. The charity is really dear to my heart.
"I am fit, I walk everywhere. I just walk, and walk, and walk. I love it. I was an ex-guardsman so I do not worry."
He is walking the perimeter of Peninsula Bowls Club in Bowls Lane, Hoo, counting the amount of laps he completes per day.
David, who lives in Maple Road, worked as a Queen's guardsman for three years when he was in his youth.
He was stationed at Buckingham Palace, St James' Palace, the Tower of London and Clements House where Princess Margaret used to live.
The grandad said he will carry on even if the weather takes a turn for the worst as he says he will not worry and will not be broken.
And this is not the first challenge the former trucker has completed.
When he was 46-years-old, he and two friends roller-skated for nine and a half hours from Westminster to Brighton for a hospital's baby unit. The trio trained for five months by skating 15 miles every other night.
David has raised more than £300 so far and has been sponsored by housing agent Acorn, Morrison's, the Co-op, Goatham apple farm and car company Mr Clutch.
He will be completing his challenge on Sunday.
Latest news
Features
Most popular
- 1
‘This rat-run bridge isn’t wide enough - someone will be killed soon’
- 2
Boy, 16, found safe after going missing nine days ago
2 - 3
Only shop in village to shut this week as ‘devastated’ couple leave Kent
16 - 4
A-road shut in both directions after water main bursts
- 5
Mum joined teen son in smashing up ex’s family home and car