TWO runners are set to take on the London Marathon to say thank you to Horatio’s Garden, based at Gobowen’s Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Hospital (RJAH).
Cheltenham-based Jenny Walford and Telford-based Dan Braddock are taking to the streets of the capital for the 26.1 mile course on Sunday, April 21 to say thank you to the charity for the help it gave family members with spinal injuries.
Now both are determined to give back to the nationwide charity to support more people facing similarly challenging times throughout the UK by running the world famous London Marathon.
Jenny and Dan are also supporting the Horatio’s Garden Spring Forward Challenge, a brand-new fundraising event encouraging people to set an individual or team fitness challenge this April.
Whether strolling through the park, racing through your neighbourhood, or rolling along a scenic route, the challenge offers a way for people to get active around their day-to-day life, have fun, and help Horatio’s Garden to improve the lives of people affected by spinal injury.
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Jenny says: “It means everything to me that I get to represent Horatio’s Garden at the 2024 London Marathon.
“My cousin is so dear to me and we watched her life get turned upside down when she lost the use of her legs during heart surgery.
“What followed was a painful journey, but we were given hope when she was transferred to the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital and Horatio’s Garden.
“These wonderful spaces are where people who feel like their lives have just ended learn to live again and see a life worth living.
“Not only that, but they provide the most comforting and enriching place for friends and family to reconnect with their loved one after such a traumatic event – you truly forget you’re in a hospital and heal together.
“The thought of my cousin and the countless others these gardens help is what will get me through my first marathon.”
Dan added: “My dad’s experience at the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital came during the pandemic and was a really difficult time for us all.
“Having the outdoor space to spend quality time with my mum was a real blessing.
“They both love gardening and it was amazing that they were able to enjoy Horatio’s Garden together.
“Both my mum and my dad have completed the London Marathon, dad in 1990 and mum in 2011.
“I feel so fortunate to have a place in this year’s race and when it came to choosing a charity, Horatio’s Garden was at the top of my list.”
To find out more and register for the Horatio’s Garden Spring Forward Challenge, visit horatiosgarden.org.uk/springforwardchallenge
To donate to Jenny’s fundraising page, visit 2024tcslondonmarathon.enthuse.com/pf/jenny-walford
To donate to Dan’s fundraising page, visit 2024tcslondonmarathon.enthuse.com/pf/dan-braddock
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