Issue 158

£4000 raised for charity

22nd October 2007

Seventeen students from Swansea University joined over 6000 from across the UK and even further a field to run 13.1 miles on Sunday 14 October.

They ran for the charity SOS Africa and managed to raise £4000.

The winner of the men's event finished in 1hrour 7minutes and 57 seconds. Most of the runners for SOS Africa were not athletes, but ran some very respectable times, with many finishing in under and around the two hour marker.

The Cardiff Half Marathon is a Barnado's Cymru led event in partnership with Cardiff County Council and the South Wales Echo and has been running every year since 2002.

The route took runners from Cathays Park, past the Welsh Assembly to the Cardiff Bay docks. It then returned along the river Taff (passing the Millenium stadium), and into Sofia Gardens, to finish in Cardiff Castle.

The organiser of the students from Swansea and UK President of SOS Africa is student Matt Crowcombe and although a knee injury prevented him from finishing the run he said that,"By completing the tough 13.1 mile course on Sunday morning, the students from Swansea showed just what can be achieved when individuals work together to help those less privileged than themselves. They truly are an example to us all!"

SOS Africa is a UK Registered Charitable Organisation that funds the education and care of underprivileged children from the poorest areas of Southern Africa and was founded after Matt took a trip to South Africa in his gap year in 2003. It celebrates its 5th Year anniversary in January 2008.

"The support the charity provides consists of the funding of basic education of children, paying for their school uniform, transport, aftercare and medical costs. It costs £600 to support one child for a year. By raising £4000, we have enough money to support 6 more children!" commented Matt.

As well as the support given by RAG and individuals from Swansea University, schools across the UK and individuals from all over the world also support the charity.

The seventeen runners ran a combined total of 222.7 miles or eight and a half marathons in one morning.

Matt said, "I also wanted to thank Martyn Williams, Malcolm Tebb, Gayle Michelmore and Martin Dix for their support on the day."

Henry Hilsdon