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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 Baker is walking for two hours everyday for a week for charity
David Baker is walking for two hours everyday for a week for charity
David (left) when he worked as a royal guard
David (left) when he worked as a royal guard

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.

David (middle) roller-skating to Brighton in one of his other challenges
David (middle) roller-skating to Brighton in one of his other challenges

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.

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