No celebration would be complete without a cake.
And a cake maker from Bolton created a celebration cake to mark Vernon Kay's epic Ultra ultramaraton, which was later donated to his old primary school, which had been celebrating the Radio 2 presenter's achievement.
It was revealed only this week Vernon has raised a staggering £6,059,488.
Diane Hill, who runs The Coffee Shop at Heaton, got in touch with BBC Radio 2 as soon as she heard what Vernon was doing, and they invited her to the Bolton Wanderers Stadium for Zoe Ball’s live Breakfast show last week.
Diane herself has also completed ultramarathons.
Vernon travelled from Leicester to Bolton, covering 115 miles to a massive welcome at Bolton Wanderers Stadium last Friday.
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The cake was later donated to Vernon’s primary school - St Mary’s School – by Vernon’s parents, with Vernon only staying as his parents Norman and for a short time and being unable to eat the cake.
Diane said: “I used to be an ex-runner and have done ultra marathons.
“I listen to Radio 2 all the time, and when I heard about the challenge, I got in touch with Radio 2, and said I would love to make him a cake.
“I was really pleased when they said yes.
“I knew the emotions he would have gone through and what he would have been feeling crossing the finish line.
“The fact he didn’t eat it doesn’t matter.
“As long as it was used, that’s the main thing.”
Headteacher of St Mary’s RC Primary School Dominique Hayes, also went to the same high school as Vernon – St Joseph’s RC High School – and says that it was such a 'joy' to have his parents deliver the cake.
Miss Hayes said: “Vernon’s mum and dad kindly said after he was so tired and couldn’t be at his mum’s for a long period, so they wanted to give the cake to the children at the Holy family (previous name of our school).
“It was lovely that they came and delivered it.
“I rang them to say thank you, and it’s a lovely afterthought to what was a very exciting week for the children.
“Everyone was so proud of Vernon Kay.”
Wanderers manager Ian Evatt has shown his support for Vernon during is ultra ultra marathon! Check out the live blog here: https://t.co/oyxzAKd7Mc
— Jazz ❤️ (@JournoJasmine) November 17, 2023
Video credit: BBC#bolton #VernonUltra pic.twitter.com/3fM5eMBiVl
Children at the school also had their own Children in Need party last Friday after Tesco in Horwich donated Juice and biscuits to the school.
The school raised £300 for the charity after the older children in the school ran a mile a day, and the younger children, doing a lap round the playground every day last week.
The head boy and head girl went to Vernon’s high school to greet him on his last day of the challenge on Friday.
And Miss Hayes says that Vernon had “time for everyone, even though he was exhausted”.
She added: “He was such a gentleman.”
Vernon spoke about his journey with The Bolton News after he crossed the finish line, and he said that it was the community spirit and bananas that got him to the finish line at the stadium.
There were 400 members of the public who cheered Vernon on in anticipation of his arrival, after receiving tickets to be there in a free ballot.
If you have a story and something you would like to highlight in the community, please email me at jasmine.jackson@newsquest.co.uk or DM me on Twitter @JournoJasmine.
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