Minnis bay, Photo by Andy Holmes on Unsplash
A man who suffered life-changing injuries after falling from a roof is preparing to walk 67 miles in just twenty-four hours to raise money for the air ambulance crew that helped save his life.
Andy Constable, from Birchington, was carrying out maintenance work at a football club five years ago when he fell approximately 5m (16ft).
The 58-year-old broke his hip, pelvis, femur, ribs and back. He also suffered a punctured lung and lost a finger. Constable said he was “shocked” when doctors told him he would have “life-changing injuries” and would never walk again.
Despite the devastating prognosis, he began the long process of rebuilding his strength. With support from family and friends, he eventually learned to walk again and was able to return to work.
“Recovery took a long time, but this also motivated me to raise money to support the air ambulance,” he said.
Constable has since taken part in several fundraising events, including a walk along the Kent coast in 2024.
“If it wasn’t for the air ambulance, I wouldn’t be alive. I wouldn’t have been able to see my grandson, who was born two years ago, and I wouldn’t have been able to see my daughter who got married this year.”
His latest challenge will see him and nine friends walk from King’s College Hospital in London to Minnis Bay in Kent. The group is due to set off on Friday and aims to complete the 67-mile (107km) route within 24 hours.
“I am excited about it, especially when I was previously told I wouldn’t be able to walk again,” he added.
Constable has already raised more than £13,000 for Kent, Surrey and Sussex Air Ambulance through his fundraising efforts.
The charity provides a vital emergency medical service across the region, bringing specialist treatment to seriously ill and injured patients when every minute counts. Over the past 35 years they have attended over 46,000 incidents, saving lives and improving patient outcomes from the skies above Kent, Surrey and Sussex.
“The money would make such a huge difference to the air ambulance,” he concluded. “They fight hard to save lives every day.”
