Michael Richardson and Michael Haywood

The Big Push

The two Michaels’ annual wheelchair push, The Big Push, has raised a total of more than £5,000 for charity over the past five years. This year the two church friends raised over £1,200 with their Fifth Annual Wheelchair push.

Five years ago, Michael Haywood decided that he’d like to fundraise for charity and chose to do a sponsored wheelchair push. Fellow parishioner at St Leonards, Michael Richardson, was recruited as the ‘driver,’ and after the success of the first year, they haven’t looked back.

On 24 June, Michael Richardson picked Michael Haywood up after 10am mass and went down to St Leonard’s. Michael Richardson then pushed his friend to the Old Town and back again, a distance of a few miles and a route they now know well. The whole event took around three hours and once they’d finished, they celebrated with a drink in a local café – well deserved as the weather was cold, despite it being June!

The two Michaels, both parishioners at St Leonard’s Catholic Church, have decided to split the money raised between the aid agency CAFOD and local charity Snowflake, which helps the homeless in the Hastings area.

The money given to CAFOD will help those living in extreme poverty to reach their full potential, regardless of religion or culture, by equipping them with the skills and opportunities to live with dignity, support their families and give something back to their communities.

“I look forward to it and to the generosity shown,” said ‘driver’ Michael Richardson. “Last year a man gave me £50 and this year he said, Make it £70 with inflation!

“It makes you feel useful – really it is just two old men and a wheelchair, doing what we can. We will continue to do this until we cannot physically any longer and for as long as the generous sponsors donate.”

Martin Brown, CAFOD representative in Arundel & Brighton, said: “A huge thank you to the two Michaels for all their support for CAFOD over the past five years! We really appreciate your commitment to helping those in need and look forward to next year’s Big Push!”

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