Larne’s Ben Dickinson smashes ‘Miles for Meal’s target on trek to Old Trafford

The milestone, which equates to £12,500 in donations, was reached just six days into his 10-day ‘Ben’s Miles for Meals’ trek, and will enable the food poverty charity to tackle hunger in the most vulnerable communities.

Ben, inspired by Manchester United player and FareShare ambassador, Marcus Rashford MBE, said: “I set myself a target of 50,000 meals for FareShare and I can’t believe I have reached that milestone this early in my campaign.

“Everyone has been so generous in supporting me so far, and with four more days left until I reach my final destination of Old Trafford, I’m excited to push on and raise even more money for Marcus’ charity, FareShare.”

Proud dad Andrew, who has been accompanying Ben every step of the way, said: “As a family, we are so grateful for everyone who has supported him to date and helped him reach the 50,000-meal mark so quickly, and we can’t wait to see what his final fundraising total will be.”

Ben impressive tally is set to increase even further with an online auction still live this week, offering football fans the chance to purchase signed memorabilia from United legends, including George Best, Wayne Rooney, and David Beckham.

The campaign will culminate with a hero’s welcome for Ben at Old Trafford this Saturday (March 12) as Manchester United take on Tottenham Hotspur, and a live charity auction hosted after the match by Hotel Football, with matchday experiences, hospitality packages, and signed merchandise from players including Cristiano Ronaldo, all up for grabs.

James Persad from FareShare UK said: “50,000 meals is an incredible figure and Ben’s selfless efforts will undoubtedly change the lives of thousands of people across the UK for the better. We look forward to cheering him over the finishing line at Old Trafford.”