Press release – 24 July 2023
A restaurateur who hails from Jersey and took up running during lockdown to combat the stress of closing his restaurants is set to run across Scotland for the international disaster relief charity, ShelterBox.
Mathew Carver, 36, from St Clement is preparing to take part in Race Across Scotland – a 215-mile run from Portpatrick on the west coast of Scotland to Cockburnspath on the east coast along the Southern Upland Way.
The epic race – essentially eight marathons back-to-back with very little sleep and lots of hills – has a time limit of 100 hours. Inspired by the work that ShelterBox is doing in Türkiye and Syria to support people made homeless by the earthquakes, Mathew is hoping to complete the challenge in 65 hours between August 12-16.
He says: “I got into running during lockdown as a stress release. There’s nothing more stressful than closing all your restaurants indefinitely. It’s fair to say I’ve been bitten by the running bug since then.”
Now based in London and championing British cheese with his business The Cheese Bar, Mathew has been spending any spare time he has preparing for his challenge.
He says: “I’ve been running a lot. I’m training six days a week and on three of those days I’m running twice a day to get as many miles in my legs as possible and to ensure I have the endurance to complete this challenge.
“I’ve been getting up to Scotland as much as I can to run sections of the Southern Upland Way and get to know the route and terrain.
“The furthest I’ve previously run is about 45 miles, this will be five times that distance. I’m excited and nervous in equal measure.”
The money Mathew raises will be donated to ShelterBox, which specialises in emergency shelter aid for disaster affected people. ShelterBox provides different combinations of emergency shelter aid, support, and essential household items. This includes items like tents, tarpaulins, tool kits, blankets, mosquito nets, solar lights, cooking sets, water carriers and filters, as well as cash, training, and other solutions. The charity is currently responding to the worst drought to hit east Africa in 40 years, monsoon flooding in Pakistan, and the war in Ukraine.
Community Fundraising Officer for ShelterBox, Louisa Arnold says: “Every year more than 100 million people have to leave behind their homes because of conflict or disaster. We provide emergency shelter and other essential items, to give people a starting point to recovery.
“Every response is different, and we tailor our aid packages to the needs of disaster affected people, listening to what communities need. We provide shelter and other essential items like as solar lights, blankets, mosquito nets, and water filters.
“None of it is possible without our supporters, like Mathew, who help raise funds and awareness and we’re so excited for his epic challenge across Scotland.”
As well as responding to extreme weather events and disasters, ShelterBox also supports people who have had to flee their homes, or had them damaged, because of conflict. ShelterBox is working in Ukraine, Yemen, Syria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, and Mozambique.
To find out more about fundraising for ShelterBox, visit shelterbox.org.
- £45 could provide a family with a sleeping mat and thermal blankets
- £60 could provide a family with a water filter giving them access to clean drinking water
- £425 could provide a family with a tent, a space for a family to call home. A perfect target for a group challenge.
Mathew has set up a fundraising page for anyone wanting to find out more about his challenge or make a donation.
ENDS
For more information contact the press office at ShelterBox via [email protected].
Notes to Editors
- Photographs and captions included. More images available on request.
- Interviews with Mathew available on request
About ShelterBox
ShelterBox provides emergency shelter and other essential items to families who have lost their homes to disasters. With operational headquarters in Cornwall, the charity also has 14 affiliate organisations worldwide.
The charity has been Rotary International’s project partner in disaster relief since 2012. ShelterBox has supported more than 2.5 million people since it was founded in 2000. www.shelterbox.org
