A PERSONAL trainer from Teesside has said it was “magical” to collect his MBE at Windsor Castle after walking 250 miles from Middlesbrough to get there.
Mike Hind, who received the honour for his work delivering food and essentials to vulnerable families during the coronavirus pandemic, decided to make the journey by foot to raise money for the armed forces charity SSAFA.
He told the PA news agency: “It was just something I wanted to do to show my appreciation for what I’ve got and I didn’t want to just come and take the glory and almost accept it without grace.”
Read more: 'Never felt so emotional in my life': Mike Hind nearly reaches finish line to collect MBE
He was handed his medal by the Prince of Wales, who advised him to celebrate with a tipple.
Mr Hind said: “He knew about the walk, he congratulated me and said that was a great cause and he’d never heard of anyone else who’d done it before.
“And then he said ‘you’ve earned a whisky so go home and have one.”
“So that was his advice.
“I don’t drink whisky, but if Prince Charles says that I have to have one then I’ll do as I’m told.
“I think I will have to go and try it.
“I didn’t ask him what he recommends though.”
Read more: Police look for a missing man last seen on Teesside - have you seen him?
Mr Hind said that, although he is a personal trainer, the 20-day walk had been the most physically challenging endeavor of his life.
The father of three was joined by his family and friends for the final four-mile stretch on the weekend, which he described as “surreal.”
He said the best part of the journey had been seeing “different people’s ways of life”, including one man he met who lived on a barge on a London canal with his dog, Dexter.
Mr Hind said: “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.”
Read more: The North East restaurant crowned the winner of 'best parmo' competition
Arriving in Windsor, he could not recover from his exertion quite as he had imagined.
He said: “We booked a hotel specifically with a spa but we turned up and it was closed, so I had my feet in the sink.”
Of his previous charity work, Mr Hind said he worked with “some amazing people” to deliver meals to 3,000 children every day during the school holidays.
Read more: Teen arrested on suspicion of indecent exposure released on conditional bail
He said: “This year we managed to turn my gym into Santa’s grotto, so Santa came down from the North Pole and gave 1,000 children from schools across Teesside who weren’t going to see him for Christmas the magical experience of seeing Santa and getting a present.
“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.”
The personal trainer’s walk has raised more than £26,400, smashing his original target of £25,000.
Taking to Twitter, Mike said: “Proud moment to have my wife standing alongside me to receive my MBE at Windsor Castle. This isn't just my award. It is an award for all of you guys back home in Teesside who supported me and my team and what we set out to achieve on our walk to Windsor.”
For more information on the fundraiser, visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/michael-hind1
--
Keep up to date with all the latest news on our website, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
You can also follow our dedicated Teesside Facebook page for all the latest in the area by clicking here.
For all the top news updates from right across the region straight to your inbox, sign up to our newsletter here.
Have you got a story for us? Contact our newsdesk on newsdesk@nne.co.uk or contact 01325 505054
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here