Afruz and his friends gear up for the 'Unity Epic Trek' to Bradford

The 'Unity Epic Trek' will be a 30-mile walk from Oldham to Bradford on September 25

Afruz Miah BEM, known as ‘Oldham’s Running Man’, will lead an epic charity walk in aid of the flood victims in Pakistan on Sunday, September 25.

The 'Unity Epic Trek' will be a 30-mile walk from Oldham to Bradford, starting at 7.30am.

Supported by the local community, Oldham Council and lots of local businesses, the trek will take approximately 12/13 hours to complete.

Afruz told the Chronicle: "We need to raise some much-needed funds for all the people suffering in Pakistan.

"They need medical aid and temporary housing, so we thought about doing this walk because it's something a bit different, and something that can engage everyone.

"A number of us are training hard for it, but we also want to make it as easy as possible for people by having a support vehicle with us so participants can stop every 10 miles if they wish."

Coppice-based Afruz has raised hundreds of thousands of pounds for charities and has been recognised for helping local people, through fitness and mental health work, in recent years.

He was recognised in the Queen’s Honours List, for his services to charity, in January, 2022. 

He has climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s tallest mountain, which stands at more than 5,800 metres. 

The ex-maths tutor got his nickname ‘running man’ after completing a Manchester to London marathon, all whilst he was fasting during the month of Ramadan. 

Do you have a story for us? Want to tell us about something going on in and around Oldham? Let us know by emailing news@oldham-chronicle.co.uk , calling our Oldham-based newsroom on 0161 633 2121 , tweeting us @oldhamchronicle or messaging us through our Facebook page. All contact will be treated in confidence.