Posted on 13th July 2026
A pensioner is taking on a 100-mile walking challenge to raise money for a local hospice charity.
Smudge Smith, who lives in Ketley Bank, Telford, will celebrate his 95th birthday in October and will be walking in memory of his late wife Margaret.
She was cared for by Severn Hospice after being diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma and since she passed away in 2007 Smudge has raised thousands of pounds for charity.
Challenge
His latest challenge, which is to walk 100 miles in 100 days, will see the 94-year-old out and about early each day on one of his five specially selected routes and he will be joined by friends and family including daughters Diane, Sue and David.
“I have lots of people offering to walk with me,” said Smudge. “It will be nice to have a companion, and I have carefully chosen my routes, so they are not too hilly or bumpy.
“I walk quite a lot, and over the years I have completed several charity walks to raise money for the hospice, the hematology department at the hospital where Margaret had treatment for her cancer and other charities close to our hearts.
“I am usually out and about at about 6.30am before it gets too hot and it’s quite quiet then – I only see the occasional dog walker.”
Gardeners
Smudge, who worked at the Aga foundry in Ketley, and Sankeys and was at COD Donnington until his retirement, has lived in the area since 1956 and is a well-known character. He and Margaret were keen gardeners, and their gardens were renowned for their beautiful planting and seasonal colour and played bowls together at Maddox Social Club during their retirement together.
Along with several friends, Smudge built the Albion youth centre back in the 1950s, played cricket for Priorslee and enjoyed the odd game of snooker and playing football.
When Margaret passed away at Severn Hospice in Bicton, he threw himself into fundraising for charities including Mind, Guide Dogs and Shropshire Talking Newspapers, as well as the hospital and Severn Hospice.
Grateful
Asked about his walk and his fundraising, Smudge said he would be grateful of any donation large or small and understood that many people are finding things tight in the current financial climate but added: “I am always grateful of any crumbs that fall from the poor man’s table”.
He started his challenge on 3 July and aims to finish it on his birthday on 14 October. To donate to his fundraiser go to https://www.justgiving.com/page/smudge-smith-1
Incredible
Nicky Green, senior community fundraiser at Severn Hospice said: “Smudge is an incredible man, and we are so grateful to him for undertaking this amazing challenge. We were very privileged to care for Margaret, and we are honoured that Smudge has decided once again to walk for us. This soon to be 95-years-young gent shows how you can achieve something if you put your mind to it and age is no barrier to fundraising. Thank you to Smudge and all his friends and family who will be supporting him on his walks – it means the absolute world to us.”
