Dear Friend

First and foremost I’m a vet, I’m 54 years old, I live in East Sussex, and I work for the Born Free Foundation.

I’m also a really keen runner, and I’ve completed a total of 6 marathons in recent years, most recently the 2015 London Marathon on behalf of Born Free, and the 2015 Beachy Head Marathon which was one of the hardest things I've ever done.

In April 2016 I'll be putting my marathon running shoes on again, this time as part of the Born Free Run Wild Team taking part in the Brighton Marathon.

The suffering my fellow runners and I have to endure to complete the marathon is nothing compared to the suffering of literally millions of wild animals that are affected by loss of their habitat, capture and killing for commercial trade, incarceration in inappropriate and inadequate captive environments, and countless other threats.

I had the privilege of joining Born Free's staff in 2014.Founded over 30 years ago by the actors Bill Travers and Virginia McKenna and their son Will Travers, Born Free does amazing work, rescuing individual wild animals from lives of misery and abuse, and protecting whole populations from exploitation. Just recently, the Charity rescued Jora and Black, two Bulgarian circus lions who had spent their lives being forced to perform demeaning tricks. Since Bulgaria banned wild animal shows in circuses earlier this year,Jora and Black had been incarcerated in tiny, cramped, filthy trailer, barely able to turn around. Thanks to Born Free these magnificent lions are now starting a new life at the Shamwari sanctuary in South Africa. You can read about their story at http://www.bornfree.org.uk/give/lion-rescue-appeal/, and watch Coronation Street's Helen Worth describe their rescue.

These are just two of the many animals Born Free has rescued, and the many thousands who are better protected thanks to the conservation and policy work of the Foundation.

Running another marathon is a way I can help give something back to this incredible organisation and the work it does.

You can help too by sponsoring me - all the proceeds go to the Born Free Foundation.

Many thanks,

Mark

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