Work Colleagues Aim To Raise Charity Cash With Marathon Run

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Christopher will be running in memory of his 11-year-old cousin

Work colleagues Christopher Cooper and Matthew Bateman are aiming to raise £3,500 for children and yound people with cancer by running the Virgin Money London Marathon to raise money for children and young people with cancer. 

The pair, who both work at Wimbledon-based Lidl UK, have pledged to take on the 26.2 mile circuit on April 24 in aid of CLIC Sargent, the UK’s leading cancer support charity for children and young people and their families.  

CLIC Sargent is Lidl’s ongoing charity partner and its employees and shoppers have already raised over £700,000 that has helped CLIC Sargent’s Nurses and Social Workers provide over 28,000 hours of specialist care to children and young people living with cancer.

Now Christopher, aged 25, from Putney, and Matthew, 42, from Ewell, are aiming to add another £3,500 to the pot - and are calling for people to give whatever they can to help them reach their fundraising goal.

Christopher, an adminstrator at Lidl, has a very personal reason for getting involved, as he lost his 11-year-old cousin Jenny to leukaemia 15 years ago, and will be running in her memory.   

He said: “I’m running the marathon for Jenny and for other young people and their families who are coping with cancer.  To be honest, if it wasn’t for Jenny, I wouldn’t be doing the marathon at all, as it’s a really long way and it hurts!

“Nobody should be without the help they need at such a difficult time, and CLIC Sargent’s Nurses and Social Workers are there for families every step of the way.

“I just hope that I’m able to raise as much money as possible for this fantastic charity.”

Matthew Bateman, Head of Business Systems, added: “You cannot help but be touched by the stories of the children and young people that CLIC Sargent works with and I’m proud to be supporting this amazing charity.

“This will be my first-ever marathon.  When I heard that Lidl had places to run it for CLIC Sargent I jumped at the chance.  It is going to be a real challenge, and I hope that I do the best that I can on the day.”  

To sponsor Christopher visit his fundraising page. For Matthew, visit his Just Giving page.

April 14, 2016