Wayne Mundon is currently Academy Manager for the Reds’ under-8 to under-21 sections. Picture: Redditch United.
SIGNIFICANT progress has been made by Redditch United academy manager Wayne Mundon on his road to walk, run and cycle 2021 miles this calendar year – in the hope of smashing a £5,000 fundraising goal.
While the amount of distance covered per day can vary, Mundon is close to completing the first 500 miles of the challenge approaching the 60-day mark, raising a total of £405 in that time as of Wednesday morning.
It is hoped that a minimum of £2,500 each will be donated to two charities close to the heart of Wayne by the time the ambitious goal is completed, with Young Minds and Mary Stevens Hospice both set to benefit from his generosity.
Mundon has pointed to the effect that minimal social contact during the coronavirus pandemic has had on young people, to the detriment of their mental health, something which he hopes to provide assistance with having struggled with similar issues during his early life.
“Growing up, I had many episodes of anxiety and depression and learning my own coping mechanisms took many, many years – charities such as Young Minds unfortunately were not around when I was younger,” he said.
Regular updates of the progress made and the remaining distance are logged regularly on Wayne’s GoFundMe page.
“In my role within a football club, I see on a daily basis the decline of mental wellbeing in young people, the agonising anxiety and panic in their eyes of not understanding lockdowns, spending months on end in front of devices trying to make sense of it all, not having the motivation to exercise, having their best years taken away from them by a horrible pandemic that is no fault of their own.
“[Additionally] I have over recent years had close family and friends move into Mary Stevens Hospice for end of life care, where they have spent their final days.
“Their treatment by staff has been exceptional and have all peacefully passed in the hospice’s care, so it is a very worthy charity for me to raise funds for.”
“Raising awareness and funds for both charities is very important to me and I would love your support.”
Donations and messages of support can be offered on Wayne’s GoFundMe page, which is available at www.gofund.me/932ec0a0, or by clicking the final following link.
