Ethos Public Relations Manchester

Loughborough hopeful to hit Big Apple for one of world’s largest marathons

by Ethos public relations

A 20-year-old student from Loughborough is in training for the New York City Marathon – one of the largest marathons in the world - to help raise money for national disability charity, Action For Kids.

Simon Phillips, an Aeronautical Engineering student at Loughborough University, is one of 15 runners taking part in the marathon on Sunday 6 November to help raise funds for the charity that is dedicated to helping transform the lives of children and young people with physical and learning disabilities across the country by removing barriers to independence.

“The New York City Marathon is an incredible opportunity and challenge for me,” Simon said. “And I have been doing a lot of training in preparation for it - 30 to 40 miles of road running each week!

“My aim is to complete the marathon in less than three and three quarter hours and I hope to raise at least £1,500 for Action For Kids.”

The New York City Marathon is a major annual marathon with the course running through all five boroughs of New York City, and is one of the largest marathons in the world, with 45,103 finishers in 2010.

Carolyn Mwaniki, Events and Community Fundraising Manager at Action for Kids, said: “It is fantastic to have Simon and the whole team running for us. They have all set themselves fundraising targets and hope to raise £21,000 or more for the charity, which is just brilliant! We are truly grateful to everyone who is taking part.”

The marathon, organised by New York Road Runners (NYRR) has taken place every year since 1970. It is held on the first Sunday of November and attracts professional competitors and amateurs from all over the world.

Action For Kids helps to support children and young people with physical and learning disabilities and their parents and carers across the country. Through its “Towards Independence” programmes, the charity helps disabled children, young people and their families lead more independent lives through the provision of specialist services such as: training in independent living skills and work related learning; a family support service; a national help line and much more.

The charity also provides disabled young people, up to the age of 26, with specialist mobility equipment, and an on-going maintenance program to keep wheelchairs working. The equipment, which is provided on a permanent loan scheme, means that Action for Kids covers the cost of maintaining and servicing the wheelchairs on an ongoing basis, removing a major financial burden from families.

To sponsor Simon, please visit his personal sponsorship page at: www.justgiving.com/simonphillips91.

To find out more about Action For Kids and its work, please visit the website www.actionforkids.org.

And for more information about the New York Marathon, please visit www.nycmarathon.org.

To read other news from Action For Kids click here.

Posted at 28^th October 2011