50 mile run around Swindon's hospital ends at 8pm clap

Adam Commons, who left the Royal Logistic Corps in 2016 as a staff sergeant, finished the ultramarathon moments before the 8pm clap this evening.

He said: “It’s not been easy, but we always knew that. It’s been really hot, which has been a struggle.

“But the support we’ve had all the way around has been fantastic.”

Tom Frost and Adam Commons

The run saw Adam and colleague Tom Frost run 100 laps of the hospital site. Dozens of other GWH staff members took up part of the challenge.

Adam, 47, said the run was a homage to 100-year-old Second World War veteran Capt Tom Moore, who raised more than £30m for the NHS by walking laps of his garden.

“I wanted to do the run after watching what Captain – now Colonel – Tom did, really. He’s raised such an amazing amount for NHS Charities,” he said.

The former soldier laid down the gauntlet to Royal Navy and RAF servicemen and veterans, challenging them to take up the challenge of raising cash for the NHS.

Michelle Leighton, a keen runner who works for GWH charity Brighter Futures, said the cash raised by the hospital runners would go to support wellbeing initiatives for staff.

They include the so-called wobble rooms, places where nurses, doctors and others can go to relax during down-time fighting coronavirus on the wards.

She added: “It’s been the hospital’s tribute to VE Day.”

GWH chief executive Kevin McNamara said the support shown for the hospital had left him feeling emotional. “There’s a real sense of community. That’s, basically, the spirit of Swindon.”

Police officers, paramedics, patients, GWH staff and even an ice cream man came to mark the now weekly clap at 8pm. Massimo Salatino, who was handing out free ice creams to NHS staff, said he wanted to “offer great support to these great people”.

Tom and Adam with the flag