Story
<p><strong><span style="color: #ff00ff;">**26th April 2011**</span></strong></p>
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<p><span style="color: #000000;">Well, <strong><span style="color: #ff00ff;">I DID IT!! Yipee!</span></strong> Photos are up on the left of the page - proof of completion, ha ha!! It was a very hot day and my target time went completely out the window - I hadn't accounted for crowds or toilets for one, or the pain of running in such debilitating heat. That said, it was incredible. The crowds were thick from the first mile to the last, full of smiles, high 5s and bundles of support, sweets and oranges! The special messages on the back of runners' vests and t-shirts were inspirational - 'Running for dad'; 'Running for a cure for cancer'; 'Running for my special little girl' - everyone was there supporting a special cause or person and it was a priviledge to be a part of that. Thank you to everyone who supported me and donated to NI Hospice - you are all stars! Very special thanks to those who made the trek to London - mama, Sheena, Sarah (and Keith!!) - and my lovely friends the Sophies and Gemma for cheering for all the Team NI Hospice runners and for spurring us on!!</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">Thank you all so much for everything! xxxx </span></p>
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<p><span style="color: #ff00ff;"><em><strong>**22nd March 2011**</strong></em></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">What a busy few weeks it has been! Well, since I last wrote I </span><span style="color: #000000;">completed my longest run to date, just over 20miles. It was a bit achy but I was really chuffed to complete it and finally have it behind me! On 17th March I held a <em><span style="color: #ff00ff;"><strong>coffee morning </strong></span></em>at Regent Street Methodist Church in Newtownards and am delighted to confirm that <em><strong><span style="color: #ff00ff;">over £600 was raised </span></strong></em>which is a brilliant boost to my fundraising and a step closer to my</span><span style="color: #000000;"> target. Very special thanks to my long suffering mum and her friend Laura who baked the most gorgeous traybakes and buns and encouraged their friends to come along and support the Hospice! </span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">On Saturday 19th March I ran in my first <em><strong><span style="color: #ff00ff;">half marathon </span></strong></em>in Larne and was over the moon to finish in 2hrs, 20mins and 41 seconds which means I'm on course to complete London in </span><span style="color: #000000;">under 5 hours - brilliant! This Sunday will be my longest run yet - 22 miles - I'll keep you posted on how that goes! Thanks again to everyone who has supported me so far - I really appreciate it!</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><em>♥ </em>Laura xxx</span></p>
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<p><span style="color: #ff00ff;"><em><strong>**10th March 2011**</strong></em></span></p>
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<p><span style="color: #000000;">Time for an update! Thanks so much to everyone who has taken the time to sponsor me - your support is very much appreciated! Training is going well, I am now up to 17 miles on my longest run and while I was a bit achy after I was definitely glad to bank the miles! It has been difficult to fit the amount of training I need to do in with work and life in general but I know that only a few more weeks to go and all the hard work will have paid off! I'm due to run 18-20 miles this Sunday - I'll keep you posted on how I get on with that! :S</span></p>
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<p><span style="color: #000000;">After the terrifying abseil I've decided to continue my fundraising on terra firma and what better way than to raise money for Hospice by enjoying a cuppa and some cake?! I'm hosting a <em><strong><span style="color: #ff00ff;">coffee morning on Thursday 17th March - St Patrick's Day - at Regent Street Methodist Church in Newtownards. We'll be kicking off at 10.30am until 1.30pm.</span> </strong></em> Please come along and bring your friends! Feel free to follow the link below for more info! Hope to see you there!xxx</span></p>
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<p><span style="color: #000000;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/event.php?eid=131635000241588">http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/event.php?eid=131635000241588</a></span></p>
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<p><span style="color: #ff00ff;">♥<strong> 14th February 2011</strong> ♥ </span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">Well yesterday was the big <strong><span style="color: #ff00ff;">abseil </span></strong>day and I did it!! It was absolutely terrifying and the scariest thing I have ever done that's for sure!! Standing at the top of a 130ft building and leaning back made me question why on earth I was putting myself through it but I know the money raised will definitely go to a great cause! Please make my cuts and bruises worthwhile and dig deep, even if all you can afford is £1 it will still make a difference to Hospice! Thanks for your support and Happy Valentine's Day!!<strong> </strong></span></p>
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<p><span style="color: #000000;"><strong><span style="color: #ff00ff;">♥</span> </strong>Laura xxx</span></p>
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<p><strong><span style="color: #ff00ff;"> ** 24th December 2010 **</span></strong></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">Hi everyone,</span></p>
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<p><span style="color: #000000;">With Christmas just around the corner this is definitely the time for giving! You might have heard in the press recently that the Children's Hospice in particular is in desperate need of funds. With this in mind I'm raffling a Christmas hamper full of festive fayre - let's see if we can raise enough to provide 3 hours of care this Christmas - it's only £90 and will make a huge difference to a family who depend on Hospice care. So please dig deep!</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">Love Laura xxxxxxx</span><span style="color: #000000;"> </span></p>
<p><span style="color: #ff00ff;"><strong>UPDATE!!</strong></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">We just drew the raffle and here are the results!</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"> 1st prize Christmas hamper - Siofra Healy</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">2nd prize hamper - Astrid Thomson - not a fix I promise!!!</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">3rd prize luxury biscuits - Graham Austin</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">4th prize bottle of wine - Michael Campbell</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">5th prize bottle of wine - Laura Gray</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">Thanks so much to everyone who donated to help raise a brilliant <span style="color: #ff00ff;"><strong>£150</strong></span> !! That is <span style="color: #ff00ff;"><strong>5 hours of nursing care </strong></span>for a local child this Christmas!</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">Ho ho ho and Merry Christmas!</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">Love Laura xxx</span>
<p><span style="color: #ff00ff;">♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #ff00ff;">Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page. Time for a new challenge and this year I've decided to ramp up the training and take part in the 2011 London marathon. From last year's experience in Belfast I can now say I know what I am letting myself in for this time round - a lot of hard work! </span></p>
<p><span style="color: #ff00ff;">I've decided to run for local charity, Northern Ireland Hospice, who care for over 3,000 life-limited and life-threatened adults, children and their families all across Northern Ireland. Having been fortunate enough to come on board and work for the Hospice I have been lucky enough to meet some of the people touched by the very special care only a hospice can give. NI Hospice care is available 24 hours a day, every day of the year and there is no charge for this. Hospice looks after the whole family and does this in their own homes as well as at the Adult Hospice on Somerton Road, Belfast and at the Children's Hospice, Horizon House, on the O'Neill Road in Newtownabbey.</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #ff00ff;"> </span><span style="color: #ff00ff;">NI Hospice receives little government funding and relies on the generosity of individuals and organisations, people like you and me, to raise in excess of £5million which it needs every year to keep on providing this special care throughout Northern Ireland. No donation is ever taken for granted and anything that you can spare will be very gratefully received by the Hospice and will enable them to keep providing this first class level of care throughout the local community.</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #ff00ff;">Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #ff00ff;">So please dig deep and donate now.</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #ff00ff;"> </span><span style="color: #ff00ff;">Thanks so much and come back to the page for regular training updates!</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #ff00ff;"> </span><span style="color: #ff00ff;">Love Laura xx</span></p>
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