A CUMBRIAN woman will run 82 miles to raise money for a Carlisle cafe following a burglary.

Hailey Fletcher, 32 from Sedbergh, has chosen to raise money for popular Carlisle cafe Gone to the Dogs after charity money was stolen from donation boxes.

Hailey said: “I’ve been to the cafe several times, and every single time I go they are doing something for the benefit of the community.

“It’s not something that’s staged, they are just doing it naturally.

“It’s just great to see a social enterprise in Carlisle that is actually making a difference, that is independent and I was really shocked to hear that it had been burgled.”

She has run plenty of races in the UK as well as enjoying running in various places in the world, but this is the first time that she is being sponsored to race.

Paul Higgins, owner of Gone to the Dogs, said: “After the burglary Hailey contacted me regarding raising funds for the work we do helping the homeless and vulnerable.

“I was touched with her offer.

“The funds she raises will help hugely.”

Aside from being a friendly spot to bring your four-legged furry friends, the Carlisle cafe plays host to a wide range of different community support groups.

A community chef project within the cafe feeds the cities homeless and most vulnerable, they are working with Period Poverty North Cumbria to offer free sanitary products to those who need them, and they also host a dog grooming business.

Most recently, the cafe helped a man move into a flat after he was homeless for 12 years.

“He has been given enough goods from our caring customers of the cafe to set up his new home.

“Without us it would have been extremely difficult for him to set up his new home.

“After two weeks he is looking a much healthier man.

“He is also putting something back helping others to find a way to get the help we offer.

“Another of our homeless moves into a flat very soon.”

Hailey is going to run the Dales Way on August 17 which will take her from Bowness-on-Windermere to Ilkley in Yorkshire.

She commented: “I never usually get sponsorship for races but I just thought if there is anything I can do to give them a little bit towards their pay-it-forward scheme or their animal charities from the boxes that had been stolen then it would be great.”

Her fundraising page can be found here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/gone-to-the-dogs-dog-cafe