On Saturday 27 April, the Shakespeare Marathon & Half Marathon event takes place in beautiful Stratford-upon-Avon. This year two of its participants - Joel Griffin and Lee Fellows - have kindly decided to run in the Half Marathon for Clothing Collective as their nominated charity.
Ahead of next month's event, we caught up with the pair to find out more about their running background, why they are doing this event and what made them choose us as the beneficiaries of their sponsorship fundraising.
Where do you live?
Joel: Gloucestershire
Lee: Solihull
How long have you been running (as a leisure activity) for?
Joel: Over 25 years
Lee: I took it up over 35 years ago
What made you take it up?
Joel: I've always had a desk based role and found running a great way to stay (relatively) fit and to balance work and personal life.
Lee: Initially it was about getting fit but more recently, I like to have an event to keep me motivated.
Which sponsored event are you taking part in?
Both: The Shakespeare Half Marathon
How long is the distance?
Both: 13 miles
Why did you choose that event?
Joel: It’s a challenging distance for me and a local event
Lee: Having ran it twice before, I know that the route is very picturesque, challenging, but not overly hilly and superbly organised.
What training are you currently doing?
Joel: I'm building up my regular running distances and trying to do three sessions a week.
Lee: Training is currently on hold as I recover from a knee injury but typically its one run a week of 6-10kms with other fitness activity a few times a week.
What made you choose to run on behalf of Clothing Collective?
Joel: It's a cause which Lee introduced me to, but the more that I have learned about Clothing Collective's activities the more inspired I have become. Providing vulnerable people within our communities with access to clothing which they would otherwise not be able to secure for themselves helps to tackle a level of inequality in our society that is less visible than some other campaigns which people may be more familiar with (e.g. homelessness charities and foodbanks)
Lee: I’ve known and worked with Clothing Collective for a few years and in a society where we produce too many clothes yet many are in clothing poverty, their work is really important. There are few causes that you can support that not just helps a beneficiary but 80+ charities too!
What words of advice do you have for anyone considering taking part in a sponsored event for charity?
Joel: It's always positive to set yourself challenging personal goals, and even better to have the double impact of using your goal to have a broader impact.
Lee: The vast majority of participation events are well organised, well supported and a fantastic experience. So if you’re planning to take part in an event, get sponsored as even small amounts can make a huge difference to so many charities.
If you would like to support Joel and Lee with running the Shakespeare Half Marathon, you can find their JustGiving page here: https://www.justgiving.com/page/joel-and-lee
Has this inspired you to run (or cycle, walk or even bungee jump) and raise sponsorship money for us? We have access to places in over 750+ events, so you are bound to find something to suit you.