99-year-old cycles 1000km for Malawi

Tony posing on the exercise bike he completed his challenge on.

Tony Fouracre isn’t one to sit around – even at 99 years of age! He set himself the challenge of raising £1000 to build new fuel-efficient stoves for families in Malawi.

The retired doctor, who lives in Driffield, has been supporting our work for many years and has raised almost £3000 in that time.

“I first got involved after seeing a display at Driffield Parish Church. I’m very keen on charities which don’t have large overheads and staff on big salaries. And I knew that the Malawi charity operated on a shoestring budget. It also meant a lot to me that the charity started in my local community of Driffield, England.”

It was our stove project which most stimulated Tony’s interest, as in rural Malawian communities the overwhelming majority of households cook on an open fire, balancing their cooking pots between three stones. Unsurprisingly, this way of cooking is inefficient and dangerous, using large amounts of firewood and leading to hospital trips for respiratory issues and burns.

A stove beneficiary from Kagwa Village with her new fuel-efficient stove financed by Tony’s fundraising.

Tony achieved his target of £1000 by cycling 6 Kilometres every day, on his exercise bike and rather than asking others for sponsorship he sponsored himself £1 per kilometre. He is an inspiration to us all and his gift has helped to transform an entire village of around 30 homes, who have received new fuel-efficient stoves making regular trips to the hospital a thing of the past.

Asked what prompted him to undertake his latest challenge, he said: “I try to exercise as much as possible and I thought this target was within my capabilities, would keep me motivated and raise money for a good cause. My only regret is that at 99 I’m too old to travel to Malawi. I can’t even get on a bus, let alone a plane!”

If you’re interested in fundraising for Mbedza then please get in touch!