City council staff among marathon fundraisers
Released: 4 September 2007
City council staff have raised hundreds of pounds for good causes by taking part in the Carver Wolverhampton Marathon.
Staff completed gruelling running and cycling marathon challenges on Sunday, September 2, to boost funds for organisations and charitable groups close to their hearts.
One of the brave competitors was Landscape Manager Dave McGlynn who picked himself up and dusted himself down - literally - to compete in the 15k Cycle Ride.
The 49-year-old nearly had to pull out after being knocked off his bike before the event. But a trip to the hospital for both Dave and his bike was sufficient to get the keen cyclist back on the road and he finished the race in 33 minutes.
He said: "I had been in training and had completed 28 miles one evening, so I decided I would make it up to a nice round figure by riding from my home up to Birches Bridge. Bad mistake! I got halfway there when a 4x4 pulled out from a side road and knocked me off my bike.
"Thankfully I only had cuts and bruises, but the bike had to go in for new wheels, brake and gear levers and handlebars."
However, he added that it did not dampen his enthusiasm for taking part: "It was a great event. There was a huge field of riders, the weather was fine and it was all in a good cause."
Dave raised around £350 which will be split between Macmillan Cancer Support, Compton Hospice, Breast Cancer Campaign and Cancer Research UK, following the tragic loss of his mother Joan and sister in-law Carole to cancer last year.
Dave, who lives in Claregate, said: "Funding for research is crucial; both my mother and sister-in-law’s cancer started as breast cancer, and I know of so many women who have been or are suffering from this form of the disease.
"I would like to thank everyone, including friends and colleagues, who sponsored me."
Another four members of staff from the Children and Young People Service represented various aspects of fostering, alongside a colleague from a partner organisation, when they also got on their bikes to tackle the cycle challenge together.
Fostering in Wolverhampton, the fostering section of the service, has entered a team in a marathon event for the previous two years. This year’s team, including members from past years and new recruits, raised more than £200 for the Foster Care Centre and, at the same time, raised the profile of Fostering in Wolverhampton by taking part.
Ian Esty, a Support Worker for Family Placement Support brought the group home in just over 38 minutes followed by Ian Groom, Marketing Officer for Fostering and Adoption and Susan Pounde, Fostering Service Administrator. Shortly behind were John Williams, a Support Worker at Family Placement Support and Karl Pinches from the National Youth Advocacy Service who stopped to help another rider with some mechanical support.
Ian Groom, who joined the team for the third year in a row, said: “It was great fun and really rewarding to know that our endeavours were raising funds for the Foster Care Centre. We are all sure that we’ll be back again next year.”
Graphic Designer Kulbir Sohal also threw herself into a marathon challenge for the first time, choosing the half marathon event. She completed the race in one hour and 49 minutes to raise about £250 for Wolverhampton Cats Protection. The 38-year-old from Parkdale, who is part of the council’s communications team, finished 329th out of 1,036 participants.
She said: “I started the race near the front row. As it started it felt like the world and his dog were overtaking me, but I just ignored everyone and tried to enjoy the run. At around nine miles, I found all those 6am starts in the pouring rain during my training period paying off, and I felt I was floating.
“I was very emotional for the next three miles and I overtook some of the people who had run past me at the start. The last mile was a killer, it was uphill all the way into West Park, but the crowds were fantastic and their cheering helped me cross the finish line. It was a brilliant day and an experience I will always treasure.”
Originally held in 1982 and then resurrected as an annual event from 1998, the Carver Wolverhampton City Marathon events attract thousands of runners, cyclists and disabled athletes. A relay team event and children’s mini marathon are also held along with the full marathon event, starting and finishing at West Park in the city.
Issued by the press office.