Vanessa, Barry and Justin came together to complete a home-grown Marathon on behalf of Mid Kent Mind.
Three Kent-based Runners, Vanessa, Barry and Justin, recently completed a home-grown 26.2 mile Marathon around Chatham, Rochester, Rainham and Sittingbourne – all with the aim of raising much needed funds for mental health services during a time when mental health has never been more important.
The trio were originally set to undertake the Brighton Marathon before the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic meant that the event was postponed. Rather than cancelling their fundraiser, the group decided that they wanted to keep training, and wanted to persevere by finding another way to fundraise for local mental health services.
The team chose to fundraise for Mid Kent Mind (MKM), and then set about obtaining sponsorship for their event – with the organisation they work for, Sweeep Kuusakoski, supporting their fundraising by encouraging partner organisations to support their fundraising efforts. This has led to the group raising over £7,000 to date – an incredible amount of money which will enable locally-funded MKM to support even more people.
Tom Fishenden, Community Engagement Officer, said of the fundraiser:
“The money Vanessa, Barry and Justin have raised will make a huge difference to the work we can do locally. The tenacity and determination they have shown in their enthusiasm to make a difference during such a challenging period of time is truly inspiring – and it emphasises just how important mental health is to all of us in the wake of such a challenging year.”
Vanessa Hewitt-Griggs, one of the three Musketeers, said:
“Mid Kent Mind are such an important charity. We didn’t feel it was right for our fundraising to be postponed just because the Brighton marathon had. By doing it locally, it meant we had so much more support on the day – with lots of friends and family dotted along the route.
That, along with the support leading up to the day, and the fundraising total gaining momentum is honestly what got us through those gruelling 26.2 miles. We cannot thank our supporters enough!”
The trio are now keen for their fundraising efforts to reach £8,000 or more – with donations still coming in as a direct result of their fantastic challenge. People who would like to support the trio can do so by visiting their fundraising page, linked below.
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/vhg-jg-bw
