Alan Mather
Marathon for Macmillan - London 2006
Fundraising for Macmillan Cancer Support
Story
Last year you helped me raise over £5,700 for Macmillan Cancer Relief. This year, I'd like to raise more for the same great cause. I will be running the London Marathon on April 23rd 2005, two days before my birthday. My plan is to finish inside the first 10,000 finishers which I'm guessing needs a time of less than 4 hours (versus my time in 2005 of 4 hours 44 minutes). Last year, with over 35,000 runners, a 4 hour time would have placed me 10,728th - shaving just two minutes and 27 seconds from 4 hours would get me inside the top 10,000. That's a big shift from where my training says I'll finish now, but I'm going to keep at it.
I'm already putting in the training I need - you'll be able to follow it via my blog at www.diverdiver.com/egovblog.html. My plan is to complete two half marathons before the big race, the Reading Run in early April and the Liverpool race in mid-March. You only need to sponsor me once, but you get twice the value! How good a deal is that?
Macmillan continue to do a fantastic job against almost insurmountable odds. Every day some 740 people in the UK are told that they have cancer. Over 1 million people have it right now and, at some point in our lives, 1 in 3 of us will be diagnosed. Macmillan provide specialised care, information, practical and emotional support. They are also working to shape the future of cancer care, carrying out research and campaigning for change (e.g. with their Better Deal programme launched in November 2004).
As always, I am sure that there will be many demands on you to give money to charitable causes. I hope that you will consider Macmillan and help me reach my target, raising more money than we did last year
Remember, if you are a UK taxpayer, Justgiving will add an automatic 28% bonus to your donation, taken straight from the tax man (which has to be a good reason to donate in itself). Better still, if you are a higher rate tax payer (as many of you are), you can reclaim some of your contribution when you submit your Self Assessment tax return for 2005/6 or 2006/7 (online of course).
I'm already putting in the training I need - you'll be able to follow it via my blog at www.diverdiver.com/egovblog.html. My plan is to complete two half marathons before the big race, the Reading Run in early April and the Liverpool race in mid-March. You only need to sponsor me once, but you get twice the value! How good a deal is that?
Macmillan continue to do a fantastic job against almost insurmountable odds. Every day some 740 people in the UK are told that they have cancer. Over 1 million people have it right now and, at some point in our lives, 1 in 3 of us will be diagnosed. Macmillan provide specialised care, information, practical and emotional support. They are also working to shape the future of cancer care, carrying out research and campaigning for change (e.g. with their Better Deal programme launched in November 2004).
As always, I am sure that there will be many demands on you to give money to charitable causes. I hope that you will consider Macmillan and help me reach my target, raising more money than we did last year
Remember, if you are a UK taxpayer, Justgiving will add an automatic 28% bonus to your donation, taken straight from the tax man (which has to be a good reason to donate in itself). Better still, if you are a higher rate tax payer (as many of you are), you can reclaim some of your contribution when you submit your Self Assessment tax return for 2005/6 or 2006/7 (online of course).