Preston sports coach walking Yorkshire Three Peaks in memory of much-loved family friend

The late Bilal ‘Bill’ Mulla, whose memory has inspired Tom’s challenge Pic: John Middleham

Preston sports coach Tom Hulme, whose ambition is to collect a “World’s Strongest Man” title in the next five years, is packing all his strength into a fundraising challenge for Rosemere Cancer Foundation.

Tom, 20, who works as a strength coach at Ashton’s Fitcess Gym, is to walk the Yorkshire Three Peaks in August and his online donation page has already raised £1,898 for the charity.

If he surpasses £2,000, which is double the target donation Tom set himself to raise, he will double the challenge, meaning he will turn around and walk the whole route again hopefully in under 24 hours.

When he sets out on the trek, Tom, who is looking to achieve his strong man title in the U80kg category, will have as his inspiration words of wisdom gleaned from two “true gentlemen”.

Tom explains: “I will be walking in memory of Bilal ‘Bill’ Mulla, who sadly lost a long and hard fought battle with cancer on 25 May.

“Bill dedicated his life to the service of others as Inspector Mulla 1970 of the Lancashire Constabulary. He was a devoted and loving father to his daughter and a longstanding friend to my family.

“He was selfless with boundless kindness. In his final weeks, Bill said he’d rather people do some good than send him things. He was a true gentleman and I am grateful to Bill’s family for the permission to fundraise in his memory.”

Tom’s decision to support Rosemere Cancer Foundation was also influenced by Peter Mileham OBE, the charity’s chairman. At the age of 77, Peter is in training at Fitcess for his first competitive powerlifting competition in the Masters 4 category, a category for those aged 70 years plus.

Tom said: “Peter is another true gentleman. He has a lot of natural powerlifting ability and is proof that it is never too late to start strength training. I coach people of all ages from youth to Masters 4 level.

“Even though I work in a gym, the Three Peaks will be a challenge for me because it’s a completely different sort of fitness. In fact, it’s the opposite sort of fitness because it’s all about endurance.

“For this reason, I am giving myself a 12 week training period and I hope people will follow my journey via Instagram, @3peaksforbill, to keep track of the lead up to the big day. I am deeply grateful for any and all support and donations.”

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Tom is also working on a podcast series in which he is planning to talk to people like Peter about Rosemere Cancer Foundation, fundraising and his challenge. It will be accessible via the gym’s website or by searching for Fitcess, which also has a number of podcasts on strength training, motivation and mental health among other topics, on Spotify and Apple.

Donations can be made by following the link.

Proud Preston. This, and many stories like it, show how the people of Preston are making a difference. Our Proud Preston section showcases all the charitable, kind, uplifting and great things about our city and the people who live here. #ProudPreston is alive and well, and there’s much to celebrate and be proud of, despite the challenging times we all face.