Kirk to attempt John O'Groats to Land's End in wheelchair

A determined ex-soldier who was left paralysed after a routine operation went wrong is to take on his toughest challenge yet to raise money for a teenager who suffers from a debilitating illness.
Kirk MountKirk Mount
Kirk Mount

Inspirational Kirk Mount (28), a former Sabden resident who now lives in Padiham, will attempt to set a new world record when he rides from John O’Groats to Land’s End in his wheelchair in August.

He will aim to cover 1,000 miles in just 40 days, with a few rest days, and camp out in a tent along the way to raise £15,000 for Tiffany Wrigley (13), from Rishton.

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Schoolgirl Tiffany fought against a life threatening condition that left her on a hospital ventilator for nine months. She has been diagnosed with Transverse Myelitis, a rare disorder of the central nervous system, is confined to a wheelchair and breathes through a ventilator.

Tiffany Wrigley. Ex-soldier Kirk Mount is raising money for Tiffany and her family (s)Tiffany Wrigley. Ex-soldier Kirk Mount is raising money for Tiffany and her family (s)
Tiffany Wrigley. Ex-soldier Kirk Mount is raising money for Tiffany and her family (s)

Kirk, who climbed Pendle Hill last month, dragging his wheelchair behind him, said: “I met Tiffany at the Local Hero Awards and her story was very touching. I didn’t fund-raise for my last challenge but this is going to be the final one so I’d like the money to go to a good cause.

“I’ve started training but I push myself in my wheelchair every day so I’ll carry on doing that.

“I like to make things hard for myself.”

Kirk, who has had a wheelchair donated by Liverpool company Da Vinci Mobility, will pull a trailer behind him with all his camping equipment.

Tiffany Wrigley. Ex-soldier Kirk Mount is raising money for Tiffany and her family (s)Tiffany Wrigley. Ex-soldier Kirk Mount is raising money for Tiffany and her family (s)
Tiffany Wrigley. Ex-soldier Kirk Mount is raising money for Tiffany and her family (s)
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“I’m going to try and do it in 30 days but obviously I’ll be happy to do it in 40 days.”

And Kirk said he has had a mixed reaction from friends and family about his next adventure.

“My disabled friends think it’s do-able but people who aren’t in a wheelchair are saying it’s impossible. I’m trying to get that message across that you can do anything.”

Emma Jackson, Tiffany’s mum, said Kirk was a great role model for her daughter.

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“I can’t believe Kirk’s raising the money for Tiffany, we were gobsmacked when he told us. When we met Kirk for the first time he came up to Tiffany, because she’s in a wheelchair and on a ventilator.

“He really made an effort to talk to her because he had been in a similar position.

“Meeting Kirk has shown us we could do things we thought were impossible after all we’ve been through in the last three years.”

To sponsor Kirk visit https://www.gofundme.com/txn3vtcs.

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