Inspector Kevin Kelly didn’t quite realise what he was signing himself up for when he agreed to accept a place running the Virgin Media London Marathon 2020 on behalf of the RSPCA Scarborough and District Branch.

His marathon training was all on target when the date of the iconic marathon was moved due to the pandemic.  Kevin showed true Yorkshire grit by extending his training plan and using the extra months as motivation to increase his fundraising efforts for a charity close to his heart.

The announcement then came that the marathon couldn’t happen in London and that it would become ‘The 40th Race Your Way London Marathon 2020’.  Participants were invited to run the London Marathon their way, joining up to 45,000 runners up and down the UK – and across the world completing their 26.2 miles where ever and how ever they wished.  Not one to make things easy on himself, Kevin chose to take on the gruelling Yorkshire Three Peaks.

Inspector Kelly, who works for the North Yorkshire Police, leads the Rural Task Force for which he is the Operation Inspector with the responsibility for Wildlife Crime.  He works closely alongside the RSPCA Inspectorate and has always had a passion for animal welfare and wildlife.

Kevin said “I have been enforcing animal crime for 17 years and we (the police) depend heavily on charities to help us. They carry the long term and on-going responsibility for many cases.  I didn’t hesitate to agree to take part and raise some funds on behalf of the Scarborough RSPCA, because any amount I can raise will not only help the branch but also help us in the fight against animal crime”.

The RSPCA branch delivered a heartfelt thank you to Kevin who, not only managed 28 miles over the peaks due to his tracking app glitching but has managed to raise a whopping £3,067 so far.  His determination, dedication and effort have been truly amazing throughout this time.  We really can’t thank him enough for raising such an amazing amount.

The RSPCA Scarborough & District Branch has been helping animals and their owners in the Scarborough and surrounding districts since 1867 raising money to deliver vital animal welfare services locally. If you would like to take on a challenge to raise much needed funds for the branch, please get in touch via www.rspca-scarborough.org.uk.  The branch needs your support now more than ever and by fundraising locally you can ensure all funds are spent locally.