Handing over the baton
In 1998 Floella Benjamin OBE, iconic children's presenter and campaigner, pledged to run ten consecutive London Marathons for Barnardo’s, which she recalls as 'a moment of madness'. In 2008 Floella completed her tenth marathon raising well over £50,000 to go towards Barnardo’s work with vulnerable children and young people affected by poverty, homelessness, disability, bereavement and abuse.
At one of Barnardo’s marathon trainings days, led by double Olympic and Commonwealth Games Gold Medalist Daley Thompson and his training partner Snowy Brooks, Floella handed the baton over to her daughter, Alvina. Following in her mother’s footsteps, Alvina will be joining 170 runners taking part in the Flora London Marathon 2009 for Barnardo’s.
Running a marathon is no easy task, but knowing that the money I was raising for Barnardo’s is going to such a worthy cause helped carry me through those final miles. This year I’m looking forward to cheering on Alvina, it will be strange to be on the other side of the cheering stations!