It’s official! Our Head of Fundraising and Communications, Mark Fawkes, is going to be running the London Marathon on 3rd October 2021 on the iconic London streets in the iconic Wycombe Wanderers blue quarters – and he will be raising funds exclusively for Wycombe Wanderers Sports & Education Trust (WWSET) in the process!
On his fundraising page in association with Virgin Money Giving – a fundraising partner we have used in the past for our other events – Mark breaks down his reason for running the marathon for WWSET. “I have previously been a very keen runner, and I have actually run the London Marathon three times before (in 2015, 2016 and 2017)”, he explains, “but I have not run much in recent times. I could say that this is because I have a young son (2-year-old Benjamin), or I could say that I have been concentrating on my work, but this would all be a far stretch, and unfortunately, my fitness and conditioning have pretty much gone and my weight has crept up!”
Mark was appointed to his role at WWSET in April 2021 and says he is inspired by the work WWSET do in the local community: “The work that we do, whether it’s educating kids in schools, running football activities, helping people get back into work, keep people moving through health initiatives, and even working to create a more inclusive society is phenomenal. We all know that a physical activity like running is great for your body, but it’s so important to understand that running has such a positive effect on your mental health as well. I know that my mental health is noticeably better when I am physically active, and so I’m looking forward to seeing the benefits!”.
In order to support Mark, we will be checking in on him regularly, and sharing updates to his running diary. We are also on the verge of announcing a new partnership with a local running club with some really exciting benefits to our community, and they will also be supporting Mark in his running journey. Keep your eyes peeled for further updates on that!
“I’m really excited that this challenge has motivated me to get active again, and excited to see crucial funds raised to continue delivering the work we do”, our runner says in conclusion. “I want to thank in advance anyone who donates to WWSET – please do, obviously – but I also hope that we can get people running and I hope that people will join me on the journey! Please do keep an eye out for me, encourage me along the way, share and like the updates and I’ll hopefully deliver success, just like the Chairboys on the pitch.”
Here at WWSET, we typically deliver in excess of 40 different sessions within the community each week of the year, reaching approximately 1,500 participants, and as a separate legal entity to Wycombe Wanderers Football Club, we can ensure that all income generated via our direct fundraising efforts like this will be spent solely on the furtherance of the charity’s aims.
The whole team at WWSET wish Mark the best of luck in his running endeavours, and we will keep checking in with him throughout his training. His Virgin Money Giving page can be found here – https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/MarkFawkesWWSET.
Thank you so much for your support – the fundraising page is LIVE NOW!
