My brother (Ben Leeds) and I are undertaking the Hasting Half Marathon on the 18th of March 2018. Our aim is to raise money for the wonderful work done by the good people of the Farleigh Hospice. We are running the 13.1 miles on behalf of our extended family, in memory of our Auntie Jasmine who sadly passed away last year.

We have experienced the wonderful care provided by the hospice first hand. Both Auntie Jasmine and our late father spent their final days in the care of the Farleigh Hospice. The care shown went beyond my ability to describe it. Simply put they ensured the comfort of truly beloved family members. The staff of the hospice also supported us, taking away a lot of the stress and anxiety, so we could focus on spending time with our loved ones.

Only 40% of the Farleigh Hospice's annual running costs are met by the NHS, the rest (£7-8K each day) is met by fundraising and bequests etc by the stand-up people of Essex. We feel this care is a vital service and it would be disastrous if this was lost.

Those of you familiar with the Leeds family over the past 30 years will know of its links to long distance running, those newer in our acquaintance may raise an eyebrow or two at this notion. 2018 marks the 30th anniversary of our father and Uncle Adrian’s first attempt at the Hastings Half Marathon. Often described by Dad as one of the hardest courses he ever ran, we have decided to shake the dust from this dormant tradition (and our running shoes/ leg muscles) and take on the challenges of the Hastings Half Marathon. We have many childhood memories set amongst the backdrop of this race, and feel it is the perfect place to remember Auntie Jasmine and Dad, to push ourselves, and with your help, raise money for an organising that brings comfort to so many people.

Thank you for taking the time to visit our JustGiving page.

David and Ben

Links:

http://www.farleigh.org/
http://www.hastings-half.co.uk/

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