Josh takes on the Yorkshire Tough Mudder to thank charity

Josh Ventress after finishing Yorkshire Tough Mudder

A Whitby man who spent much of his childhood in hospital has taken on the Yorkshire Tough Mudder to thank a charity which helped him and his family.

Josh Ventress, 26, was born with bilateral upper limb deformity and for 18 years underwent treatment and numerous operations at St James’s University Hospital in Leeds – 70 miles away from his family home in Whitby.

Throughout his treatment at St James’s, Josh’s parents, Debbie and Liam Ventress, were supported by The Sick Children’s Trust, which runs free ‘Home from Home’ accommodation for families with seriously ill children in hospital.

On July 29, Josh tackled the Yorkshire Tough Mudder and managed to surpass his original fundraising target, raising Â£370 for the charity.

Josh, an Army Welfare Worker who now lives in York, said: “It went well I really enjoyed it.

“I’ll definitely be doing it again next year.

“I was happy with the obstacles – it was just the 10 mile run that was difficult.”

The Sick Children’s Trust’s Eckersley House Manager, Jane McHale, said: “We’re absolutely thrilled to hear that Josh completed the challenge and had fun doing so.

“Josh has raised a fantastic amount of money for The Sick Children’s Trust which will go towards providing 13 families with a ‘Home from Home’ for one night, just minutes from their seriously ill child’s hospital bedside.

“On behalf of everyone at The Sick Children’s Trust and all the families we support, we’d like to say a huge thank you to Josh.”