March 9, 2021 12.37 pm This story is over 36 months old

Boy who wants to be paramedic walking 930k steps for ambulance charity

Good luck Lucas!
Lucas Artiss is raising money for The Ambulance Staff Charity (TASC).

A 12-year-old boy from Gainsborough who dreams of becoming a paramedic is walking 930,000 steps in March to raise money for The Ambulance Staff Charity (TASC).

Ambulance loving Lucas Artiss will be walking 30,000 every day of the month. By the end of day three of his challenge he had already achieved over 95,000 steps.

If he achieves his goal he will have walked 310 miles, which is the equivalent of walking from his Lincolnshire home to the Cairngorms National Park in Scotland.

He is raising money for TASC, a leading UK charity giving mental, physical and financial wellbeing support to current and retired Ambulance Services personnel and their families – make a donation here and follow his progress using the hashtag #GoLucas.

Lucas is aiming to raise £500, which can help TASC provide an extra eight hours of counselling or 10 session of physiotherapy for people injured in the line of duty. By the time of publication, he has so far raised £400.

He said: “I am doing this for the ambulance staff as even heroes need looking after from time to time and these heroes need help more than ever at the moment with all they are having to deal with.”

Lucas wants to be a paramedic when he is older.

Lucas’ mother Julie Artiss said: “I am so proud of Lucas, he is such a kind, caring boy and it doesn’t surprise me that he wants to raise funds to help ambulance staff.”

He is also a regular participant of Hit The Ambulance, where players ‘hit an ambulance’ with kindness by leaving the staff members thank you notes and gifts. He has even donated his own pocket money to support ambulance staff.

Lucas attends The Gainsborough Academy and has already won a special prize from his school for his good work in the community.

Joanna Phillips, Assistant Principal at the school, said: “We are extremely proud of Lucas and his wonderful efforts to raise money for such an excellent cause. He is really embodying our Academy Gainsborough Way.”

Jasmin Rana, TASC’s Director of Income Generation and Supporter Engagement, added: “Lucas is one of our youngest fundraisers ever and we’re so excited and grateful that he’s doing this challenge to raise vital funds for TASC.

“Ambulance staff have one of the most stressful jobs in the UK, and the continuing and long-term impacts of Coronavirus are making their job that much harder. With the support of people like Lucas, TASC can continue to be there for the UK’s lifesavers when they’re struggling and need a bit of help themselves.”