A Newtownbreda cancer survivor has raised thousands for charity while shielding.
Norman Sleator began walking seven kilometres a day in his backyard to mark the milestone of his first surgery, after he was diagnosed with bowel cancer last year.
Now in his 10th week, he's raised more than £2,000 for Friends of Belfast City Hospital's Cancer Centre.
Today would be the organisation's 15th Belvoir Park Walk fundraiser, which has raised hundreds of thousands of pounds since it began.
They're asking people to join in from home to give a much-needed boost after Covid-19 put a line through their fundraising calendar.
Norman said charities like Friends of the Cancer Centre wouldn't survive the pandemic without the public's support.
He said: "People can’t walk Belvoir Park but they’re being asked to walk around their own garden just as I’ve been doing.
"It’s vitally important that if we want to have the support of these charities, we need to support them."
He added: "I think the country has realised that the NHS is really, really precious - I’m sure people find it very daunting to go somewhere like the cancer centre but the staff are there to put you at ease ."
Ana Wilkinson, the organisation's fundraising manager, said they would miss out on "vital funds" if people didn't take up the cause from home.
She said: "It’s a very challenging time for the charity sector at the moment and we are facing a reduction in income as a result of Coronavirus.
"In more normal times, we would have hundreds of people join us at Belvoir Park Forest for our annual walk, raising vital funds to support our work.
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"This year, however, is very different, and we are now looking at finding new and innovative ways for people to get involved, show their support and stay safe."
She said the charity's work had continued through lockdown.
Ana added: "As challenging as recent weeks have been, they have also highlighted how important the work of Friends of the Cancer Centre is.
"The majority of our work has continued throughout lockdown and our funding of vital services has not stopped.
"This has ensured that the staff that we fund – doctors, nurses and many more – have been able to continue their work in treating, caring for and supporting people with cancer through these incredibly difficult times.
"Our nurses alone have contributed over 3,000 hours of care to people with cancer since the start of lockdown."
To offer your support for Friends of the Cancer Centre, find them on Facebook or email info@friendsofthecancercentre.com. You can donate to Norman's '52 Day Ramble' here.
