Marathon effort for charities

The Awesome Oaks, from left, Yvonne Lee, Sarah Mayhead and Catherine Hutchin, with their London Marathon medals

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London Marathon runners from Chichester have raised more than Â£10,000 for charity between them.

Three staff members from Oakwood School in Funtington ran together and raised more than £7,000 for St Wilfrid’s Hospice.

It was assistant head Yvonne Lee’s seventh marathon but for head’s PA Catherine Hutchin and admissions manager Sarah Mayhead, the 2016 London Marathon was their first attempt at running 26.2 miles.

The trio, known as the Awesome Oaks, have been running together since October last year, although injury hampered training for Catherine.

Simon Chivrall, an IT support analyst from Chichester, raised Â£2,083

Their decision to run for the Chichester hospice was made more poignant when a beloved colleague, David Fido, died there in December 2015 after a short illness.

Yvonne said: “We were so shocked and saddened by David’s death. He would have thought we were completely mad for attempting to run 26 miles but he would have been there, cheering us on louder than anyone else and he was very much in our thoughts as we ran.”

Money was raised through cake sales, car washing, collections at choir performances and school plays, thanks to pupils, staff and parents at the prep school.

Catherine said: “It was one of the best days of my life and also one of the hardest.”

Chichester estate agent Paul Higgins-Drysdale raised Â£1,750

She had to run and walk after five miles because of a knee injury but was determined to get round.

“I have wanted to run the London Marathon for so long and to do it with so much support from colleagues, family and friends and raising money for such a very worthwhile cause just made the experience even better.”

Sarah said the support from the spectators made a huge difference.