Leeds hedgehog lover raises money for local rescue organisations by running a half marathon every day of second lockdown

A keen runner and hedgehog lover may have his feet up at the moment after running a half marathon every day of the second lockdown but is already setting his sights on his next challenge.
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Peter Benefer has raised £1200 so far, with more money coming in, for Leeds based group Hog House Rescue and Hedgehog Emergency Rescue Bingley Yorkshire (HERBY).

Between, Thursday November 5 and Wednesday December 2, to coincide with the second national coronavirus lockdown, Mr Benefer ran 13.2 miles every day regardless of weather, daylight, time or work commitments.

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He had to fit the runs, which averaged out at two hours and 20 minutes each, around his day job as a recruiter for international architectural firms, many of which are based in America.

Peter Benefer ran a half marathon each day of the second national lockdown to raise funds to hedgehog rescue groups.Peter Benefer ran a half marathon each day of the second national lockdown to raise funds to hedgehog rescue groups.
Peter Benefer ran a half marathon each day of the second national lockdown to raise funds to hedgehog rescue groups.

Over the last month those still making regular commutes will have seen Mr Benefer putting his best foot forward between West Park and Guiseley, and then back, which was his usual route.

He said: "It was hard doing it with work because I was not getting much recovery time but it is done so all good. I had to soak myself in the bath when I got home from work then go so I would normally do them at 7pm. It was always dark, and most days I was not feeling it, by the end I was well and truly sick of it."

That said, Mr Benefer is thinking about what to do next as making sure there are enough funds to keep the two organisations helping sick and injured hedgehogs is an on-going process. The money he donates to Hog House Rescue and HERBY is mainly spent on vet bills and antibiotics.

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Mr Benefer, who is also a bee-keeper, has been raising money for the groups since he appeared on an episode of the TV cooking show, Come Dine With Me.

Last year wildlife enthusiast, Peter Benefer, ran the Leeds Half Marathon dressed as a hedgehog.Last year wildlife enthusiast, Peter Benefer, ran the Leeds Half Marathon dressed as a hedgehog.
Last year wildlife enthusiast, Peter Benefer, ran the Leeds Half Marathon dressed as a hedgehog.
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"I am going to have to think of something else to do because the money is always needed and it will have to be a more extreme challenge than the last one still."

Last year he ran the Leeds Half Marathon dressed as a hedgehog - and then ran the route again to make it a marathon distance to raise money for the animal, which was included in the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List for British Mammals earlier this year.

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