Cannock Bank Bar owner Alastair Payne is running in the 2012 London Marathon to help support disabled and terminally ill children and their families in Staffordshire.
Alastair is working with leading UK children’s disability charity Newlife Foundation to raise vital funding and will also be hosting a series of high-profile events at his Wolverhampton Road bar.
A quiz night is being organised for Wednesday 14 March, with local band The Wish Fulfilment performing 48 hours later on Friday 16 March. The following month Bank is hosting an all-you-can-eat pasta party, on Wednesday 18 April. For further details contact Bank Bar on 01543 509 251 or visit https://www.facebook.com/Bankbarandlounge
Sunday 22 April will see Alastair tackle the London Marathon for the sixth time. He said: “I have had to train really hard in the past to achieve my best marathon time of two hours 45 minutes and I will be aiming to at least match this in April.
“I am getting into training for London and in the lead up to the big day I will be running about 80 miles a week. I am looking to raise as much as possible for what is a very worthwhile locally-based charity; the bonus is knowing that disabled Staffordshire children will benefit directly.”
Anyone interested in sponsoring Alastair can go to his Just Giving website www.justgiving.com/Alastair-Payne
Alastair and his team at Bank Bar have previously raised £3,871 for Newlife through two clothing sales, helping to fund essential equipment for three children in the county.
Newlife Foundation CEO Sheila Brown, OBE, said: “We are very grateful to Alastair for his continued support, both through the bar and with his entry into the London Marathon. We hope his customers really get behind him to help us help the families of more vulnerable youngsters.”
She added: “Our equipment grants are so vital to so many children, offering practical support to families in need. Equipment can range from a pain-relieving bed to communication aids, from wheelchairs to portable hoists. Equipment that costs from hundreds to several thousands of pounds really can revolutionise a child’s life.”
Newlife has awarded £597,782 in equipment grants to 421 children in Staffordshire. But the charity is experiencing hugely increased demands on its resources; calls to the Newlife Nurse helpline – 0800 902 0095 – have shot up by 104 per cent, with thousands more hits on the charity’s website www.newlifecharity.co.uk
“Because of the huge demand,” said Sheila, “we are calling on ‘local heroes’ like Alastair to help us raise money to fund equipment. Newlife guarantees that 100 per cent of any gift or donation will go directly to disabled children in your county.”
Note to editors: For picture opportunities, please contact Alastair Payne on 01543 509 251.
Pictured : Alastair on a previous run.
Web: https://newlifecharity.co.uk Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/newlifecharity Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/newlifefoundation YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/NewlifeFoundation
