A group of employees from Chippenham based M.J. Church Event Waste Management will be going the extra mile at this Sunday’s Bath Half Marathon.
Since 2012, organisers of the BATHALF have engaged M.J Church to implement a waste management and recycling service at the race this Sunday (2nd March) to ensure that the roads can be re-opened as quickly as possible after the race.
This year, they will have a team of 30 people working on the big clear up, and they will have another team of seven running the Corporate Challenge for the Forever Friends Appeal.
Grace Doughty, Business Development Manager at M.J. Church said: “We decided to take part in the BATHALF this year to raise money for our colleague, Mark Hucklebridge, who has been battling bowel cancer for more than three years, after being diagnosed in November 2010, aged 32.
“Mark is an incredible inspiration to all of us and knowing what he is going through on a day to day basis makes competing a half marathon seem relatively easy. Mark has put his chemotherapy on hold to run with us this weekend, to raise money for the Forever Friends Appeal, demonstrating how he is still thinking about helping others more than himself”.
The Forever Friends Appeal is the official charity for the Royal United Hospital (RUH), where Mark has been treated over the course of his illness.
Grace added: “We are delighted to be able to run and raise money for the Forever Friends Appeal. The work they do to help people like Mark is very humbling and if we can help in any small way, then we are very proud to be able to.
“This will be my first half marathon and I’m hoping to complete it in under two and a half hours. Some of the team are a bit faster, so we’ll probably end up splitting into two groups, but regardless of how long it takes us, the reason we’re doing it is the most important thing”.
Mel Taylor, Charity Director at Running High commented: “M.J Church do a fantastic job of ensuring the roads can be re-opened as quickly as possible after the race and this year, they’re really going the extra mile. Mark’s story is inspirational and I hope that they achieve and exceed their fundraising targets”.
You can donate to the team at http://www.justgiving.com/GRACE-DOUGHTY.
The BATHALF takes place this Sunday (2nd March). For more information, go to www.bathhalf.co.uk.
