A TYNEDALE man will be participating in the Great North Run in a baked bean tin on his back to promote and raise money for a local food bank.

Bob McKay from Wylam hopes to complete the Great North Run on Sunday, September 10 in a baked bean tin on his back to fundraise for Newcastle Westend Foodbank.

Bob, 47, who works at Aspire as an Information Security Director, and his family have been donating on and off to the food banks for a few years.

However, last year decided he wanted to do something every month so each month he contacts foodbanks to find out what they need, and his family members chip in to bulk buy and deliver the urgently needed items.

Bob said: "I have done the GNR a few times when we first moved to the North East but not for quite a few years now.

"I had planned to go for a time of about 1hr 50 minutes. My best is 1hr 45 mins, but the bean tin is going to make it more like 2.5 hours. 

"I suspect I’ll have to walk a bit.

"My family has been really good in supporting and helping me with the tin and we all work together on monthly foodbank donations anyway.

"Food banks provide food packages to those that have been given a voucher by an approved official (such as children's centres, health visitors, social workers, health workers, and Citizens Advice).
"This ensures that the donations get into the hands of those that really need them and they are provided a balanced set of meals and other essentials (such as toiletries).

"Unfortunately, the donations coming in have dropped off as donors are hit by the cost-of-living crisis themselves while at the same time, the number of people needing assistance has gone up."

Gemma Whaley from Newcastle Westend Foodbank adds: "We have known Bob for a long time now, he and his daughters deliver much-needed donations every month.

"They are a lovely family, and we were delighted that Bob had chosen to run the GNR on our behalf.

"When he told us he was running with a giant tin of beans on his back I couldn’t quite believe he was going to such lengths to get our charity recognised whilst he was running. "Running the GNR is difficult enough but with a giant tin strapped to your back will be even harder.

"We are very grateful to Bob and all our runners for choosing to represent our Charity and we wish them the best of luck on Sunday."

For more information watch Bob's fundraising video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGSDx3gGhq4