Zippy, George and Bungle in Newbury charity 10k run to help buy life-saving defibrillator

If you thought you caught a glimpse of George, Zippy and Bungle racing around Newbury recently, you weren’t mistaken.

Three fundraisers donned costumes of the colourful characters – from 1970’s children’s TV show Rainbow – in a bid to raise cash of a defibrillator.

Donna Parkin, 47, from Thatcham came up with the idea to boost the fundraising efforts of the Old London Apprentice pub.

The pub is raising money to buy a defibrillator after landlady Caroline Amor rushed to the aid of a customer who had collapsed, giving him CPR before paramedics arrived.

Luckily the man was okay, but it kickstarted the fundraising effort to purchase the life-saving piece of kit.

“I have run marathons before that were easier than that,” Miss Parkin said afterwards. “It was so hot.

“I had bought the costume for a fancy dress competition and so I said I would do a 10km run in it. Someone said we should get George and Bungle to do it too; so we did.

“I thought we had to do something difficult. It had to be worth sponsoring. Everyone runs, but it’s not often you see George, Zippy and Bungle running a 10k.”

She said the trio – which also included Newbury men George Brooksmith as George and Danny Stevens as Bungle – devised their own route for the event, starting and ending at the pub to much cheers and applause.

“We were very grateful to the people that stopped us to make donations and the people in the cars that also stopped to give us money,” Miss Parkin said. “People kept talking to us as we went and were donating money.”

So far the run has raised £600, with more than £1,195 raised in total for the defibrillator.

Miss Parkin, whose next event is the London Landmarks Half Marathon, said she was keen to do something to help buy something so important.

“None of us ever know when we might need one,” she added.

You can help support the fundraiser at www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/george-brooksmith-1