It may have been freezing cold and snowing in Boston recently, but that has not stopped one man from pulling on his trainers and heading out for a run, waved off by the mayor. Shea Holland, 28, of Tower Road, is battling the elements for a good reason – he is preparing to run the London Marathon to raise money for charities, including some in the local area
Shea Holland, of Tower Road, Boston, is battling the elements for a good reason – he is preparing to run the London Marathon to raise money for local charities, including The Butterfly Hospice and the town’s branch of St Barnabas Hospice.
It is not the first time the 28-year-old has pounded the pavements, but it will be his first full marathon raising money for charity.
The father-of-four said: “The London Marathon is a global event and people run it to help all sorts of world charities, but I thought it would be good to keep it local and raise money for local good causes here in Boston.”
Shea has been dedicated to his training regime for several months, and has notched up around 150 hours of road-running since December – sometimes in sub-zero temperatures.
He decided last year that he would try to raise money for the Butterfly Hospice, and has since taken on the task of using some of his sponsorship money to support the Mayor of Boston’s charities – St Barnabas Hospice, Boston Branch, and DOCATEF (Detection of Cancer and Treatment Equipment Fund). He made the decision after speaking with Coun Carol Taylor. She said: “When I discovered that Shea was running the marathon for Butterfly Hospice, I asked if he would consider making the Mayor’s charities as his other donation, especially as they were the same theme - cancer prevention, detection and palliative care.”
Anyone wishing to sponsor him in support of the Butterfly Hospice should contact Jane Parsons on 01205 311222, and anyone who wants to help him support the mayor’s charities should contact Alison Hull, the council’s civic and member services officer, on 01205 314511 or alison.hull@boston.gov.uk.
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