The beginning of October marked the start of this 12 months’s Prostate United marketing campaign, with folks throughout the nation seeking to increase important funds for Prostate Most cancers UK.
And the return of the problem sees one among MAN v FAT’s neighborhood once more searching for success together with his fundraising efforts.
Tom Ashby, who has had optimistic stints at our MAN v FAT Basingstoke membership, was among the many prime fundraisers nationally in 2025 and is aiming to be proper up there once more this 12 months.
We caught up with him to seek out out extra.
What made you wish to get entangled with Prostate United once more this 12 months?
Final time, I used to be in a position to increase consciousness for Prostate Most cancers UK whereas additionally elevating over £1,000 for such an necessary trigger. It was an extremely rewarding expertise, and figuring out that the cash raised could make a real distinction to males and their households made me wish to tackle the problem once more.
If I can problem myself bodily whereas elevating cash and consciousness on the similar time, then each mile is value it.
What did you be taught from being concerned final time that can put together you for this 12 months’s problem?
The largest factor I realized is simply how robust the problem might be. Doing it each single day for an entire month is demanding, particularly when your legs are drained, the climate isn’t nice or your motivation begins to drop.
However I additionally realized that I’m able to pushing by way of these troublesome days, and I’m decided to finish the problem as soon as once more.
The help you obtain makes an enormous distinction as properly. Whether or not it’s help from Prostate Most cancers UK, messages from family and friends, folks sharing your fundraising web page or seeing one other donation come by way of, all of it provides you that additional little bit of motivation to maintain going.
How did collaborating within the problem assist together with your weight reduction for MAN v FAT periods?
Participating in Prostate United positively helped hold me on observe with my MAN v FAT weigh-ins.
While you’re doing a problem like this, your every day exercise will increase massively and also you actually get your steps in! The final time I took half, I walked round 474 kilometres – roughly 294 miles – over the course of the month.
That quantity of strolling actually helped with my health and weight-loss journey, and it gave me one more reason to remain targeted every week.
I might positively advocate Prostate United to anybody who is considering participating. You possibly can select a problem that works for you, whether or not that’s strolling, operating or biking, so there actually is one thing for everybody.
You’re not solely doing one thing optimistic to your personal well being and health, you’re additionally elevating cash and consciousness for an extremely necessary trigger on the similar time.
What are you most wanting ahead to this 12 months?
One of many issues I’m wanting ahead to most this 12 months is seeing how a lot of a distinction the problem could make to my very own well being and health.
I’d prefer to lose as a lot weight as I safely can all through the month and hopefully use the problem as a springboard to proceed being extra lively afterwards.
I don’t need October to complete and for the strolling to immediately cease. I’d actually prefer to hold it going, make common strolling a part of my routine and proceed working in the direction of my weight-loss targets.
I’m additionally excited to see simply how a lot consciousness and cash we are able to increase alongside the best way.
Have you ever set your self a fundraising goal, or do you simply wish to beat final 12 months?
I initially set myself a fundraising goal of £500, which amazingly we managed to smash inside simply three days of me signing up for Prostate United.
My subsequent aim is to get as shut as attainable to the £1,000 I raised final time – though secretly, I’m hoping we are able to go even additional and beat it!
The rationale behind the fundraising is what actually issues. Prostate Most cancers UK says that one man dies from prostate most cancers each 45 minutes within the UK. Put that into soccer phrases and that’s two males in the course of the course of a 90-minute match.
These aren’t simply statistics. They’re folks’s dads, grandads, husbands, companions, brothers, sons and associates.
That’s why I wish to increase as a lot as I presumably can. A prostate most cancers analysis might be one of many hardest moments a person and his household will ever expertise, and the cash raised by way of challenges like Prostate United helps help the charity’s work for males affected by the illness.
Each donation, whether or not it’s £5, £10, £20 or extra, provides up and might make a distinction.
If I can push myself by way of this problem, increase consciousness and assist increase cash that would in the end assist extra males and their households, then each single step can be value it.
Wish to donate to Tom’s fundraising?
Tom is flying together with his fundraising and, with the help of the MAN v FAT neighborhood, he may attain even better totals! You possibly can donate to his fundraising web page right here.
