A Stevenage woman is set to run a full marathon around the town, having missed out of this year’s Brighton Marathon, in aid of two of the town’s charities.
Sarah Mellor will walk, run and jog all around Stevenage on Sunday to raise money for Darcie’s Wish and The Conor Spraggs Foundation – two causes she holds close to her heart.
Sarah was due to take part in her second Brighton Marathon this year, but was left disappointed when it was cancelled as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
Determined to raise the funds for her chosen charities, she has mapped out a route around the cycleways in Stevenage to complete the challenge.
“I started training in October last year,” she told the Comet. “Then the marathon was postponed from April to September, only for it to be cancelled altogether.
“It’s a hard knock when you’ve trained, so I thought it might be nice to still do it – I had already raised more than £1,000.
“The training really gives you a boost and a focus, especially during lockdown.”
Sarah has chosen to raise money for Darcie’s Wish, and is running in memory of her first son Stephen, who was stillborn. Darcie’s Wish raises funds to support bereaved families who have lost a baby, and supports the Lister maternity unit.
Sarah continued: “It was a very long time ago when I had my son, I was six months pregnant and I had to have a full on labour.
“I am now friends with Kylie – the founder of Darcie’s Wish – so it’s a charity that is really close to my heart.”
The second charity Sarah is raising money for is The Conor Spraggs Foundation, which was set up by another Stevenage family after the tragic death of Conor Spraggs while he was on holiday in Ibiza in 2018.
The charity raises money to help families who have endured similar situations and are unable to have their loved ones repatriated back to the UK.
“My youngest son and Conor were best friends growing up, so it’s another cause that’s really close to my heart,” Sarah continued.
“I get a lot of motivation from those charities. I want to raise as much money as I possibly can, and I thank everybody that has really supported me all through this, and everyone who will be there on Sunday.
“The support is really appreciated and needed.”
To support Sarah, go to justgiving.com/crowdfunding/philip-mellor.
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