Goat trio joins mum and daughter for charity runs

A trio of goats is helping a mum and daughter's month-long efforts to raise money for a Motor Neurone Disease (MND) charity.

Since 1 January, Jackie Wilson and daughter Megan have been carrying out daily one-mile (1.6km) jogs up and down their driveway at Playdale Farm Park near Scarborough to raise money for the MND Association, inspired by a friend diagnosed with the condition.

On each run, they have been accompanied by Thumper the goat and his two nieces Nik Nak and Dorito, who were hand-reared on the farm from birth.

Megan said: "We took Thumper out one day when it was freezing and he really wasn't into the cold until his nieces joined him and then he refused to be left out."

Jackie explained that they decided to raise money for the MND Association after their close friend John found out in May that he had the disease.

"He'd had a bit of a tough year because the year before that he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer.

"He was operated on, and at the end of 2023 he was told everything was successful and the cancer had gone.

"It was very soon after that, he started to notice his foot wasn't flexing properly and he was starting to have problems walking."

Jackie said that just a few months later, John was diagnosed with MND and now used a wheelchair and a scooter.

Jackie said she was convinced by Megan to take part in their daily charity runs after learning of a challenge to run 31 miles in January to raise money for MND.

"She twisted my arm. I'm not very fit, I will admit I am overweight. I don't do much running, I work a lot on the farm and exercise that way," Jackie said.

"She's dragging me out. I do a mile every day and we are just hoping people will support us."

Megan said the three goats on the farm were already used to joining them on dog walks, so she decided to take them out for the daily run along the farm's drive.

Despite her mum's initial reluctance to take up the challenge, it was now Jackie that was encouraging her to get outside, Megan said.

Since taking up the challenge, the pair have combatted the icy weather by wrapping up warm and taking hot showers after every run.

"You get back and you feel good anyway, so it is worth it," Jackie said.

The pair said they had so far raised £600 for the charity, but hoped to reach £1000 by the end of the month.

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