Eight of the runners received Gold Bond places for this year’s London Marathon and were chosen by St Clare from a host of applicants all vying to run for Team St Clare. Six additional runners chose to run in aid of the Hospice after securing their own place through the ballot. They have already raised a combined total of more than £17,500 for the Hospice.
Competing with Team St Clare are:
Nik Bowerbank (38, Harlow)
Adam Green (29, London)
Chris Shaw (37, Kedington)
Joe Stapleton (35, Thaxted)
Claire Bodiam (50, Ongar)
Mark Nicholas (St Albans)
Anthony Gafney (Braintree)
Victoria Cousins (49, Harlow)
Catherine Hines
Jo Bird (63, Highams Park)
Karen Ritchie (57, Chingford)
Nick Barker (Epping)
Shakeel Khan (52, Ilford)
Sam Segameglio
Amongst those running for Team St Clare are Chris Shaw (37 years from Kedington), Head of Customer Services at Weston Homes, who is taking on the challenge of completing four marathons in two months – having already run the Hampton Court Half and Brighton Marathon. After the London Marathon he will then compete in the Hackney Half and the Edinburgh Marathon in May. Chris has already raised over £3,000 in sponsorship.
Also taking on the challenge is Claire Bodiam (50 years from Ongar) who is running in memory of her father, Robert Bowers, who was cared for by St Clare Hospice in 2017. Claire is also running the marathon to mark her 50th birthday! Claire has smashed her £2,000 target and has already raised over £3,600.
Another pair taking part are best friends, Jo Bird (63 years from Highams Park) and Karen Ritchie (57 years from Chingford) who are running in memory of Jo’s husband, Adrian Bird, who died at St Clare Hospice in 2019. The pair have raised over £3,000 so far.
Karen commented: “Back in October we decided, after a bottle of wine, to try for a ballot place in the London Marathon, not thinking for one moment either of us would get one. Well surprise, surprise we both got offered a place – it was obviously meant to be. Since then we have been training diligently despite the ice, snow and both our beloved Mums passing away, we have kept on going.”
Karen continued, “We have chosen to support St Clare Hospice where Jo’s husband, Adrian, spent his final two weeks of life, four years ago. This marvellous charity deserves every thanks possible.”
St Clare Hospice’s Relationship Fundraising Manager, Ellie Gale, said: “The sheer commitment of Team St Clare makes us swell with pride – they are so brave, and so dedicated to helping raise vital funding to go towards the Hospice’s care for local people and their families.
Competing in the London Marathon, a world-famous race renowned for its atmosphere and prestige, is such a special way to support St Clare, as well as being a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The fact that our thirteen participants have chosen to dedicate this experience to raising funds for St Clare means the world to us.
We wish them the absolute best of luck! Thank you, Team St Clare!” If you didn’t get a chance to run in this year’s London Marathon, why not take on the Royal Parks
Half Marathon in October? It is the ‘best half’ of the London Marathon, taking in all the historic sites, and you can get a place with Team St Clare now.
Find out more at http://stclarehospice.org.uk/event/royal-parks-half-marathon/ or contact the team on 01279 773750
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St Clare Hospice is a charity providing specialist palliative care for people living with terminal or life-limiting illnesses across West Essex and East Herts border.
We care for patients and their families, providing physical, emotional, social, psychological and spiritual support, and ensuring they have timely access to skilled, compassionate and sensitive care in a place of their choice.
Our services are free of charge to those who need our care, but cost over £5million a year to run. With limited NHS funding we need to fundraise the majority of this each year through donations and other voluntary sources.
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