Clitheroe Stephen's runaway success

Not only did Stephen (49), whose goal was simply to finish the run without stopping, complete the course in 37 minutes, he raised £351 in sponsorship money for the event organisers, Rosemere Cancer Foundation.

Rachael McHugh, who is a volunteer co-ordinator with Outrun Diabetes, which meets at Clitheroe Castle gates at the top of Moor Lane on Tuesdays at 10 am and who cheered Stephen on in last November’s Rosemere Cancer Foundation Clitheroe Santa Dash, said: “Stephen did really well. He thoroughly enjoyed both the run and organising sponsorship.”

Louise Grant, Rosemere Cancer Foundation’s East Lancs fundraising co-ordiantor said: “Well done to Stephen. It’s great to hear about runners’ personal triumphs. The dash last November was a proper UK Athletics licensed race that took over from our Castle Park one mile run/stroll.

“It went down so well that we are going to repeat it this year on Sunday, November 29th.”

Rosemere Cancer Foundation works to bring world class cancer treatments and services to cancer patients from throughout Lancashire and South Cumbria being treated at Rosemere Cancer Centre, the region’s specialist cancer treatment centre at the Royal Preston Hospital, and at another eight local hospital cancer units across the two counties, including those at Burnley General Teaching and the Royal Blackburn Hospitals.

The charity funds cutting edge equipment, research, training and other cancer services that are beyond limited NHS resources. For further information on its work, including how to make a donation, visit www.rosemere.org.uk

The Outrun Diabetes group is supported by Diabetes UK. It was founded a year ago by Sue Riley, of Clitheroe, who has diabetes but the group is open to all. Sue said: “Of those who attend, there are only two of us with diabetes.

“We meet for outdoor exercise – gentle stretching and walking graduating to jogging – and we then go for a coffee so we are social group concerned about health and wellbeing.”

Membership of the group is free. For further information, call Sue on 07766 662702 or email her at [email protected]