PHARMACIST Rishi Bhatia raised almost £3,200 to provide vital PPE for care homes by running the equivalent of five marathons in May.

Rishi, 42, from Wilmslow, ran three or four times a week in the morning before work.

Rishi ran 210 kilometres across the month, raising £3,190, enabling him to buy 20,000 items of personal protective equipment for key workers in 13 care homes.

He originally hoped to raise £1,000, but reached that target within the first weekend, and increased his target to £2,500.

The money raised enabled Rishi to buy 4,500 masks, 13,550 gloves, 81,000ml of hand gel and 36,000ml of hand lotion.

Knutsford Guardian:

The PPE bought with the sponsorship

In addition he received a donation of 250 face visors from Nebular Cloud and 9,000 tea bags from Tetley Tea and Yorkshire Tea.

To ensure everyone had a treat to go with their cuppa of Rishi bought 9,000 biscuits as a thank you to all carers and key workers in local care homes who are providing care to the most vulnerable members of our community during this challenging time.

Rishi thanked everyone for their support during the challenge.

He said: “I would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone that supported me and for the kind wishes and generous donations.”

Collette Adderley, registered manager at Abbeyfield Care Home, Bramhall, said: “We would like to say a very big thank you to Rishi for thinking of the care homes through the unprecedented times we are all going through at present.

Knutsford Guardian:

A pack received by a local care home

“Rishi and his team have continued providing the home with excellent service during a period when they themselves must have been dealing with their own obstacles. Thank you to Rishi and his team from all the staff.”

Rishi’s JustGiving page remains open, and any extra sponsorship he receives will buy further PPE to help protect key workers.

Rishi owns RB Healthcare and currently owns two pharmacies in the Stockport area, one in York and an online pharmacy whose head office is in Liverpool.