PC's 383-mile challenge for veterans' charities

A police officer is planning to run 40 miles a day for five days, cycling in between, to raise money for two veterans' charities.

The challenge is the equivalent of five ultra-marathons for former serviceman, PC Scott Caswell.

He works as an armed response officer for Warwickshire Police, but is also its armed forces lead, supporting veterans who come into contact with the force.

Caswell said: "There's lots of little bits I do to help raise awareness for these people who ultimately put their life on the line when they sign up to serve for King and country."

The challenge will begin on Monday at Derby Army Reserve Centre, from where he will run to Coventry.

Over the following few days the 53-year-old will then run and cycle his way to Northampton, Barnet, Ashford and ending on day five with an 80-mile journey to HMS Victory in Portsmouth.

Caswell will also have pictures taken at Downing Street as he passes No 10 on the fourth day of his challenge.

In all, the PC has served for 36 years in the armed forces, first in the Royal Military Police and now for the Army Reserves in Coventry.

His time in the forces has included six spells in Northern Ireland as well as tours of Kosovo and Bosnia.

It has left Caswell with a passion for supporting veterans.

"The military is my life. It's my family's life, all of my family have served, my older brother served. I think that's where it came from, all my work that I do started with my brother, when he was in a really bad way."

"Just seeing how the police were, we could be a lot better than we were and we still can, there is always room for improvement."

This is the 14th year that he has taken on a challenge to raise money for charity, including one-mile laps around Warwickshire Police HQ for 24 hours and walking five miles a day with a military backpack and respirator on.

In 2023 he completed a 96-mile walk carrying a military backpack which weighed 70lb.

But Caswell said he had needed to be persuaded to do it again this year.

"Last year was going to be my retirement from all these challenges, I'm not getting any younger. But, I was talked into doing something a little different.

"Initially it was going to be six marathons in six days but I was like, well, that's probably a bit too easy."

The money raised from the challenge will go to two charities, Veterans Aid and the Veterans Contact Point.

Veterans Aid supports veterans from across the UK who are in crisis, with dedicated housing at Belvedere House in London.

Caswell said: "They'll take a veteran in crisis who needs immediate intervention and get them back on a level where they can get them housing, get them employed again, and get them functioning properly. So they do some brilliant stuff."

The Veterans Contact Point is based in Nuneaton also supporting former service personnel.

"Seeing them doing what they do, they are brilliant, all the staff there just go above and beyond. They take pride and passion in what they do."