Charity gold challenge for former Barry resident (From Barry And District News)

Charity gold challenge for former Barry resident

4:30pm Sunday 29th July 2012 in News By Chris Seal

A FORMER Barry man has completed 10,000 yards of golf across 18 different courses in a bid to raise money for Prostate Cancer UK.
Adrian Hockin, 52, completed the challenge from Cheltenham to Barry with his 23-year-old son Gareth and nephews Nathan Waters, 33, and Matthew Gill, 30, yesterday. (July 25)
The four golfers were also joined for support and organisation by AdrianÕs brother-in-law Graham Niblett, a former Barry Town Councillor and Mayor of Barry.
Their golf charity challenge started at Cleeve Hill golf club in Cheltenham at 6am and finished at Brynhill Golf Club in Barry at 10pm last night (July 25).
Former Barry Comprehensive pupil Adrian was diagnosed with an advanced form of prostate cancer in January 2009 and is hoping his fundraising endeavours will help raise awareness and money for the charity.
"The idea of completing 10,000 yards of golf came from the fact that more than 10,000 people a year die from the disease," he said.
"I play golf and wondered how to link that to fundraising.
"When I saw that the longest hole at the Celtic Manor was 666 yards I thought that if you play the longest holes you could reach 10,000 yards."
The challenge saw them drive over 100 miles as they played the longest hole at 18 different courses.
During their golfing challenge they visited the golf clubs Cotswold Hills, Tewkesbury Park, Ross on Wye, Rolls of Monmouth, Celtic Manor, Glamorganshire Golf Club in Penarth and Wenvoe Castle.
"It's going to be quite tough to stick to the schedule," added Adrian.
"At some courses the longest hole is not the first or last one, but one of the middle ones."
Adrian, who grew up in Cadoxton, is hoping to raise money for Prostate Cancer UK by completing the charity challenge.
"We set a target of raising £1,000 and we have already achieved that," he said.
"It looks like with other donations we could reach £2,000.
"I think that's amazing as people have been so generous."
Adrian, who moved to Cheltenham in 1999 when he worked for Royal Mail, was diagnosed with prostate cancer in January 2009.
"One of the biggest reasons why I am doing this is that I don't think there is great awareness about the symptoms of prostate cancer," he said.
"I had a pain in my ribs and I thought it was just bruising.
"I had x-rays and they found there was a problem there and from a biopsy they found a secondary tumour that indicated cancer.
"It had spread through my body before I had any symptoms."
Adrian, who was previously a member of Brynhill Golf Club and has played golf for over 30 years, added: "When I was diagnosed it came as a shock to me as most people think it's a much older mans disease.
"It tends to be older people but not exclusively, as there are younger people that do contract it too."
To sponsor Adrian Hockin on his golfing charity challenge go to: http://www.justgiving.com/Golfing-for-Prostate-Cancer