Dozens of locals prepare for London Marathon

Several runners from West Berkshire will be raising money for a variety of local and national charities

DOZENS of West Berkshire people are gearing up to take on the gruelling Virgin London Marathon on Sunday (17).

Several runners will raise money for a variety of local and national charities - many in memory of a loved one, while a number of runners from local athletics clubs are also taking part.

Among the local runners is 50-year-old Roger Jones, of The Harrow at Little Bedwyn, who will be running the 26.2 mile course tied to 49 others to attempt a world record and raise £100,000 for SCOPE, a disability charity for children and adults with cerebral palsy.

Newbury resident Yvonne Pape is running to raise money for Parkinson's UK in memory of her grandmother, who suffered with Parkinson's Disease for 10 years, while Thatcham man Guy Watts is running to raise money for the mental health charity MIND in memory of his brother Gavin, who suffered from depression and took his own life 10 years ago.

Lorraine Bailey will be running for the Motor Neurone Disease Association after her mother, Frances Williams, who lived in Newbury for 40 years, died of the disease last year, while Newbury man Dean Oliver will be running his first London Marathon in memory of his daughter Florence, who died four years ago following a long illness with spinal tumours.

He will be running for West Berkshire children's charity Swings and Smiles.

Newbury siblings Matt and Louise Bailey are veterans of the half marathon with 13 completed between them, but they will be tackling their first full marathon in London and running for The Vision Charity, which supports blind and visually-impaired children. Thatcham man Gareth Austin will also be running for the charity.

Andy Watts, from Bishops Green, is also running his first ever marathon for Alzheimer's Research UK, spurred on by thoughts of his father David Watts OBE, who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's and his two grandmothers, who both died with dementia.

Two Newbury mothers have also been pounding the streets in preparation for their first marathons, with Clare Bull and Claire Dodridge running for Cancer Research UK, a charity they say is close to everyone's hearts, but especially Mrs Bull's after her husband Andy died seven years ago just months after being diagnosed with brain cancer.

Another woman taking on her first marathon is Emma Carter, who is running to raise money for Naomi House.

She has been training hard with Newbury Athletic Club, who also have several runners this year, alongside runners from Team Kennet and Tadley Runners.

Meanwhile, Andrew Wild and Neal Granville, of Sandford Springs Golf Club, and five members of staff from Nuffield Health Club including Dave Legassick, James Knight, Ben Harwood, Luke Sadler and Arron Whalley are also getting ready to take on the marathon.

Newbury professional racing driver Robin Liddell is another taking on the course to raise money for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust, while Newbury creative artist Graeme Berry is running to raise money for Newbury District and Cancer Care Trust, Lee Jones is running to raise money for Help for Heroes, Kieran Dooley is running for the New Life charity and Theale man Ross Hammett is running for Starlight Children's Foundation.

If you are running the London Marathon, let us know by contacting Robert Warlow on 01635 564540 and remember to send your photographs and tell us how long you took to complete the race, plus your contact details, to robert.warlow@newburynews.co.uk by noon on Tuesday, April 19.