I started running socially with a group of friends a couple of years ago just to relax and keep fit.  I really enjoyed it but it was only after retiring from teaching in September 2009 that I was able to devote more time to running.  I have run three half marathons in the last twelve months with Alison my training partner; Cardiff twice and Stratford Upon Avon and I have managed to get down to two hours at Cardiff 2010.  I have always fancied running a marathon but never had the time to do the training, unfortunately now I don't have any excuses!  I also want to achieve this target before I hit the big 60 in January 2012.  I felt that to achieve this goal I needed the motivation of a big city marathon and the chance of raising a lot of money for a charity.

 I have had a number of friends, relatives and colleagues whose lives have been touched by cancer and some who unfortunately have died from the disease.  So I really wanted to run for a charity that helps people and their relatives who were affected by cancer.  I tried to get a place for London with St Richard's Hospice in 2010 but their Gold Bond places were already taken, which was probably good for me at the time as I probably wasn't quite ready for 26.2 miles!  However, I was really pleased when St Richard's offered both Alison and myself a place in the Virgin London Marathon 2011.  One year on I feel better prepared now to take on the challenge.

The Snowdrop Logo

"I am come to calm your fears:I am come to console you in the absence of bright days, and to reassure you of their return"

The Snowdrop-Consolation by Bishop Keble 1792-1886

Why St Richard’s needs your sponsorship 

 Having a life-threatening illness such as cancer should not mean that life itself grinds to a halt.  Far from it – the St Richards Hospice team has been working since 1984 to help people make the best of their lives despite the effects of their illness.  St Richard’s Hospice, at Wildwood Drive, Worcester, contains an In-patient Unit, Day Hospice, Home Care Team, Counselling and Bereavement support, Social Work, Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Complementary Therapies, Hospice at Home, Snowdrop Group, Chaplaincy, 24 hour telephone support helpline, and the Education & Resource Centre. 

Demand for their care is always increasing and they now help more than 2,100 patients and their families each year through all their services, including their nurses in the community and their family support team.  Each month they receive at least 70 new referrals to their Clinical Nurse Specialists who support patients in their own homes. Their 16-bed In-patient Unit runs 24-hours a day, all year round, offering specialist palliative care with a ratio of nurses to patients of 2:1. The Unit is frequently at full capacity with a waiting list. 

As you can imagine, all these specialist services are very costly to provide. They need to find 70% of the £5.2m it costs to provide their services this year, so they are very appreciative of your donation. All the services are free to their patients and their families.

 

My target is to raise a minimum of £2000 for St Richard's so your donation is very important.

Update on 24/3/11 - I have reached my initial fund raising target of £2000, so thank you to everyone who has been so generous. I have now set myself a new goal of £2620 by marathon day.  This will mean that I will have raised £100 for every mile that I run in the marathon.  I have run 15 miles in -10c in December; I have sat in ice cold baths after training runs and got blisters on my feet but I have enjoyed every step, so please keep the money coming in.

 

Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

 

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.

So please dig deep and donate now.