TWO businesswomen from Northampton will be presenting a cheque for more than £1,000 to Cynthia Spencer Hospice after running a half marathon in memory of a family friend.
Donna Spence of New Moulton Electrical in Abington Grove, which supplies, repairs and services electrical appliances, and Angie Routhledge from Armstrong Optical wanted to do something for charities that meant a lot to them.
For Donna, it was to mark the passing of Patrick O’Brien. When she moved to Northampton from Scotland as a child, Donna made friends with Patrick’s daughter Joanne and was made to feel welcome in the O’Brien family home from the start.
Donna said: “Paddy and his wife Bridget made me feel like part of their family from day one. He was a kind, genuine and funny man I feel privileged to have known him and I wanted to do something in his memory.
“I’ve have been running for a couple of years but never did I ever think I would be able to do a half marathon – I still can’t believe I did it. I teamed up with Angie, who was running on behalf of the British Heart Foundation after losing her dad and her father-in-law within five months of one another.
“It was tough, but we kept each other going and had a laugh training and doing the run and it was worth it as we’ve already raised around £2,400 to split between the two charities. We’ve been amazed at people’s generosity and would like to thank everyone who has supported us.”
Donna and Angie completed the half marathon through Virtual Runner.uk, which allows entrants to set their own course and pace, submitting their times and distances via electronic devices such as Garmin or FitBits.
Donna added: “We did our own course but we were delighted to have friends and family out to see us off and cheer us home at the end. I’ve also been very impressed with the support of the team at Cynthia Spencer Hospice – they have been so involved and encouraged us all the way through.”
New Moulton Electrical can be contacted on 01604 713232 or at www.newmoultonelectrical.co.uk To donate to Donna’s fund, visit uk.virginmoneygiving.com/Team/AngieandDonna