Man to run length of River Severn for hospice

2 hours ago

Tammy Gooding,BBC Hereford & Worcesterand

Elliot Ball,West Midlands

News image — A Droitwich man has set himself the challenge of running the length of the River Severn to raise money for a hospice that cared for his dad

Joe Hemming A man wearing a black t-shirt, a green-grey running vest with water bottles in pouches on either side of his chest and a blue hat is pictured on a hot day. — A Droitwich man has set himself the challenge of running the length of the River Severn to raise money for a hospice that cared for his dad

A man has challenged himself to run the length of the River Severn, a distance of 220 miles, to raise money for the hospice that cared for his father.

Joe Hemming, from Droitwich, Worcestershire, will begin his challenge at the Hafren Forest in Powys and run to Bristol, where the Severn runs into the sea.

He will run between 32 and 42 miles per day from 5 to 10 June - a year after his dad Robert was admitted to then died at St Richard's Hospice.

"My dad was unfortunately diagnosed with cancer at the start of 2025 and he deteriorated quite quickly but we managed to get him into St Richard's Hospice and they were unbelievable," he said.

The runner added: "The care he received was second to none and from that moment I knew I wanted to give back.

"Saying thanks as I left didn't seem apt enough and it coincides with the dates my dad was admitted to hospital to the day he passed away.

"So, when I cross that finish line in Bristol after running 220 miles that'll be a year on from his passing, so that's the inspiration behind it."

Joe Hemming Two men are stood next to each other in an old photograph. A man on the left is pictured wearing a light blue shirt with a bald head while a man on his left is pictured in a brown military uniform and black military cap.

Discussing the difference in care from the hospital his dad had been in to the care provided by St Richard's Hospice, Hemming said: "From the second we got there, everything was taken under control.

"That was from pain management through to the after care but the biggest difference was they were already looking at our emotional support and what they could provide while we were there.

"Lots of things were put into place like counselling and we had quite a lot of spiritual support - my mum in particular is quite spiritual so for her that was very necessary."

Previous running challenge

Hemming's latest challenge comes three years after his partner lost a baby through miscarriage after which, in 2024, he embarked on running five ultra-marathons and three marathons.

He managed to complete that across 2024 and 2025 with the funds going to Tommy's - a pregnancy and baby charity.

"My relationship with running has just grown since then," he said.

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