STUART BROTHERTON aims to rise to the challenge when he takes on the Toughest Mudder endurance event in aid of Winsford-based Cotswold House.

Stuart, a bakery operative at Roberts Bakery, was inspired to raise money for Cotswold House after taking part in a community volunteer programme organised by the Rudheath-based bakery.

Stuart and fellow members of staff carried out essential maintenance at Cotswold House, which provides temporary accommodation for homeless women in the region, and his volunteering experience inspired him to do more to help the project.

Stuart, 38, said: “I volunteered to go to Cotswold House at the end of last year and was really impressed with what they do there.

“It’s a great local project, but one many local people still don’t know about and I came away wanting to do more.

“I’ve taken part in lots of endurance events but this one will be my toughest by far and I’m really pleased to be doing it for this terrific local cause.”

Stuart will take part in the Toughest Mudder event at Belvoir Castle in the Midlands on May 13.

Toughest Mudder is an extreme, eight-hour obstacle course, made more challenging by taking place between midnight and 8am.

Stuart hopes to run 25 miles during the event and raise at least £400 for Cotswold House. The donation will go towards refurbishing the nine bedrooms at Cotswold House.

Stuart has just taken part in another volunteering day at Cotswold House with his colleague Tony Tonks, a credit control supervisor at Roberts Bakery.

They spruced up the garden with new planting and painted garden furniture. They made light work of their day volunteering, as Tony is a qualified surveyor and former builder and bricklayer.

Carolyn Billington, support worker at Cotswold House, said: “We really appreciate support from companies like Roberts Bakery to help us maintain and improve our building and the gardens.

“We are always busy with our residents so we don’t have the time, let alone the skills, to do this type of work, so it really is a huge help for us.”

Roberts Bakery regularly donates bread to Cotswold House and set up a volunteering programme with the project in 2016.