Councillor Chris Furlong presents cheque to Heywood Guides Senior Section

Councillor Chris Furlong presents the final cheque to Heywood Guides Senior Section from his charity runs earlier this year

Councillor Chris Furlong presented the final £625 cheque of his charity fundraising on Thursday (28 September) to Heywood Guides Senior Section.

Councillor Furlong said: “I chose the Guides Senior Section as I know they do plenty of fundraising and volunteering for the community. This was exemplified last Christmas when instead of doing the usual Secret Santa they decided to do a food collection between themselves which they then handed to the homeless in the community.”

Leader of Heywood Division Senior Section, Beth Tennant said: “The funds raised by Chris will be used to subsidise future events and trips.

“This has really taken a massive amount of pressure off us and has really give the girls chance for opportunities they wouldn’t necessarily have been able to experience, were it not for him.

“We went away recently for a three-day camping weekend with all the girls, some of whom wouldn’t been able to go without this, and it was great. We would have struggled to take them all without Chris.”

Earlier this year, the Middleton councillor took on three races to raise money for The Lighthouse Project Middleton, Springhill Hospice and Heywood Guides Senior Section. Each charity has received just over £625 after the councillor managed to raise just shy of £1,900 in total, including Gift Aid.

https://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/138/community-news/112181/councillor-chris-furlong-presents-lighthouse-project-with-cheque-for-625

https://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/138/community-news/112597/councillor-chris-furlong-presents-springhill-hospice-with-cheque-for-625

In April, Councillor Furlong completed the Bolton 10k before taking on the Great Manchester Run in May. He knocked almost 32 minutes off last years’ time, setting his personal best at 53.04.

Two months later, Councillor Furlong took on the third and final race: his first half-marathon at Southport, which he completed in one hour 57 minutes and 22 seconds.

Over the last decade, Councillor Furlong has raised over £100,000 pounds for charities such as Help for Heroes, Sandon House, Parkinson UK, Cancer Research UK, PTA Groups, Macmillan Cancer Care, Christie Hospital and scout groups.

His fundraising efforts, which have ranged from fairs and coffee mornings to race nights and fashion shows, have also helped raise funds for local football teams, community centres, schools and churches.

In 2012, Councillor Furlong won an ‘Above and Beyond’ award at the Bibby Line Group for raising £25,000 in one year.