Veteran Jeffrey Long embarks on care home charity trek

An 88-year-old former paratrooper is walking to a different care home every day for the next 10 days as he embarks on his latest charity challenge.

Jeffrey Long, from Bingley, will trek up to 16 miles a day to honour the "heroic efforts" of care workers.

The veteran is no stranger to tough fundraising challenges having walked 650 miles from London to Lausanne in Switzerland wearing a 30kg backpack.

Mr Long said carers were "undervalued" and needed more recognition.

His first walk, in aid of the Care Workers Charity, will be four miles there and back from his home to Five Rise Care Home in Bingley.

On other days, he will walk more than a dozen miles visiting homes including Home Instead in Ilkley and Bluebird Care in Bradford.

He said: "Care workers are hugely undervalued and deserve more recognition for their heroic work.

"Every day, care workers make a huge difference to the lives of thousands of people across the country, providing them with the dignity and support they need to live happy and contented lives."

Emily Barnett, from the charity, said: "Jeffrey is a force to be reckoned with and we wish him all the best for his walk for carers."

Mr Long began fundraising 11 years ago and has completed Liverpool to Leeds, Hadrian's Wall and the Three Peaks Challenge.

While he was trekking along the River Thames for charity in 2017, a woman got chatting to him and posted a selfie with Mr Long sharing details of his challenge.

At that point, he had raised £300, but comedian Jason Manford spotted the post and shared it with his fans leading to him raising more than £75,000.

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