Middlesbrough trainer walks 250 miles to receive MBE

During the pandemic Mike Hind has helped deliver meals to children

A personal trainer has walked 250 miles from Middlesbrough to Windsor Castle to receive an MBE.

Mike Hind was honoured for delivering meals to vulnerable families during the pandemic and raised £26,400 for the armed forces charity SSAFA on his walk.

The dad of three described his 20-day trek across England as the most "challenging endeavour" of his life.

He received his medal from Prince Charles who advised him to celebrate his achievement with a tipple.

Mr Hind said: "Prince Charles knew about the walk, he congratulated me and said it was a great cause and he'd never heard of anyone else who'd done it before.

"Then he said 'you've earned a whisky so go home and have one'.

"I don't drink whisky, but if Prince Charles says that I have to have one then I'll do as I'm told."

In 2019 Mr Hind helped Darren "Dibsy" McClintock shed 19 stone to get fit for the Great North Run

Mr Hind was joined by his family and friends for the final four-mile stretch of the walk.

He said the best part of the journey had been seeing "different people's ways of life", including a man he met who lived on a boat on a London canal with his dog.

"We all worry about the chores in life and what's gone on over the past couple of years and the struggles we've all faced, but that one gentleman and his dog just had no worries."

The trek raised more than £26,000 for charity

In 2019, the trainer helped a 40-stone man to shed almost half his body weight in less than a year, so he could take part in the Great North Run.

During the pandemic he delivered meals to 3,000 children at Christmas and in the school holidays.

He also transformed his gym into Santa's grotto which was visited by more than 1,000 children.

"I can't take credit for that because I couldn't and I wouldn't do a lot without the amazing support from family, friends and from people on social media," he said.