Gary Herbert who ran 2021 miles for Northampton Hope Centre nominated for Pride of Britain Award
Pride of Britain nominee Gary Herbert speaks to ITV News Anglia's Sophie Wiggins
A man who ran 2021 miles in a year to try and help rough sleepers in his home town has been nominated for a Pride of Britain Award.
Gary Herbert from Northampton was so upset by the number of homeless people he saw while out jogging that he decided to try and help.
He embarked on the mammoth task of running 2,021 miles in 2021 to raise funds for The Northampton Hope Centre, a charity that helps the homeless and others in need.
"It's the hardest thing I've ever done," said Mr Herbert. "There were so many times where I felt like stopping."
"I told myself 'when I get home I can have a shower, I've got a roof over my head tonight, I'm the lucky one'.
"That's what kept me going and I've learnt that if you really set your mind to something, you can achieve it."
Alongside his wife Lexi, Mr Herbert is a devoted parent to 19-year-old Lewis, who is severely disabled.
He had originally hoped to raise £2,000 for the Hope Centre, but smashed this goal by raising nearly £19,000. The money will be used to help people who are struggling.
Louise Daniel-Czuk from the Hope Centre said: "He'd seen the need on the streets of Northampton, he came to the organisation and said these are the people I want to help and this is what I want to do.
"He's got so much going on in his own life, as many people do, but he still chose to do something incredibly special and incredibly challenging for a local charity that he knew would be able to help people.
"The impact that he's had on so many people's lives in Northampton is just incredible. He has literally changed people's lives."
A mentally, physically and emotionally exhausting challenge, the memories of completing it that will live with Mr Herbert, and the people he's helped, for a very long time.
Mr Herbert added: "I'll never forget that Friday when I finished. Then came into the Hope Centre and met some of the service users, they were at the finish line as well as some of the staff and I was emotionally gone.
"To speak to them and to see how real it was, yeah, I'll never forget that day, it was very very special."
Gary Herbert is one of eight nominees from ITV News Anglia in the fundraiser of the year category at the Daily Mirror Pride of Britain Awards, with a winner to be selected for the East and the West of the region.
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