Thousands raised by marathon effort

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http://www.wiltshiretimes.co.uk/news/la ... effort.php

PEOPLE from across Wiltshire were among the 35,000 runners taking part in this year's London Marathon, raising money for their respective charities.

Royal Mail staff from Warminster raised more than £2,000 for Dorothy House Hospice in memory of local mother-of-two Fiona Akers, who died of cancer in June 2005.

Delivery office manager at Royal Mail in Warminster, Steve Cleaver was so moved when he heard about the tragic death of the 33-year-old, the sister-in-law of one of his post women Mel Akers, he decided to begin raising money in her memory.

Mr Cleaver, 46, completed the marathon in four hours and 27 minutes and his team-mates Martin Chorley, 46, and Barry Griffiths, 38, completed the race in three hours and five minutes and four hours and 35 minutes respectively.

Mr Cleaver said: "The Wombles overtook us at one point. You are soaking wet and then people dressed up as Wombles go past; you just think I'm going home'.

"At 23 miles the hail stones kicked in and that was a killer. You can't stop though because you've got that far."
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# Life-saving surgery inspired one local man to run for the British Heart Foundation.

Tom Fox, 53, completed the gruelling 26-mile course on Sunday in three hours and 51 minutes.

The dentist, from Corsham, said: "I had heart surgery seven years ago. I said that when I got to run the marathon, I'd try and raise some funds for them the British Heart Foundation and the heart unit at the Bristol Royal Infirmary."

Mr Fox managed to raise nearly £800 for charity.

# Derek Tipple, 33, from Frome Road, Trowbridge, bravely took on the marathon challenge despite being made redundant from the Bowyers factory in the town last month, where he had worked for almost eight years.

The redundancy blow followed successive illnesses among relatives that have devastated his family.

Last year his grandmother suffered a severe stroke and his mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. His grandfather was also taken ill last May.

Mr Tipple, who attends the Bethesda Baptist Church in Trowbridge, completed the race in just under four and a half hours.

He said of his first marathon: "It was hard work, but you get so much support and its definitely one of the best experiences that I've had."

Mr Tipple, who was cheered on in the capital by mother Susan and sister Jenny, was raising money for the Hope orphanages.

"Some friends from church went out to Bali last year and visited one of the Hope orphanages," he said.

"Now there is a link with the church, and they're going out they're again this year."

# Steve Davis, 46, from Devizes was running for West Wiltshire Portage Service.

He said: "My wife works for Portage. They support children with special needs by providing teaching in the home before they go to primary school.

"I don't know how much has been raised yet but we're hoping for at least £1,000.

"I did it in three hours and 52 minutes, which was a minute quicker than the only marathon I have ever run in Warsaw, Poland.

"The event was fantastic. There was wonderful support all the way around the course."

10:50am today