University staff set hot pace in fundraising marathon missions
Two University of Chester staff members braved the heat to complete their first marathons in aid of good causes.
Financial accountant Becky Richardson went the 26.2-mile distance at this year's London Marathon with her auntie Ann Delve. Becky, who finished in a time of four hours, 55 minutes and nine seconds, raised more than £7,200 for the Hospice of the Good Shepherd.
Ian Dawson, kitchen manager at NoWFOOD, successfully completed the Manchester Marathon on the same day in five hours, 15 minutes and 31 seconds, raising hundreds of pounds for the British Heart Foundation (BHF).
Both runners spoke of the challenging conditions, with warmer-than-expected temperatures testing thousands of runners to their limits.
Becky said: “The London Marathon was a really special day; the atmosphere was incredible. It was a beautiful sunny day, although a bit too hot for running! It was my first marathon, and my aim was to finish and to raise money for the Hospice of the Good Shepherd - both of which I achieved, so I am incredibly grateful to everyone who supported me and donated to such a wonderful cause.
“It was such an honour and privilege to run on behalf of the hospice. In total my auntie and I raised over £7,250 and collectively the Hospice London marathon runners have raised over £45,000, with donations still coming through, which is amazing. It was a day I will never forget, and I would encourage anyone who is thinking about it to do it in the future.”
Ian, meanwhile, won’t be hanging up his running shoes anytime soon. He is continuing to take part in several running events for the rest of 2025 including half marathons at Chester, Conwy, Caernarfon and Cardiff, collecting more donations for the BHF.
Ian said: “The heat was absolutely brutal, especially as my wave didn’t start until 11am; I think everybody struggled that day. The first half felt okay until I suffered a bit of heatstroke, which probably made the second half five times harder.
“I chose the BHF as a family member has had heart problems in recent years. I was very relieved to exceed my fundraising target for the race, thanks to friends, family and the companies we support at NoWFOOD.”
Also completing marathons in the University’s Finance team were Lauren McLeod, who completed the Manchester Marathon, while Eddie Austin successfully tackled the Boston Marathon the previous Monday.
People can donate to Ian’s Justgiving page at https://www.justgiving.com/page/ian-dawson-1720516105323, while Becky’s Justgiving page is at https://www.justgiving.com/page/becky-richardson-1715164652727
Image 1: Becky Richardson and Ian Dawson at the end of their respective London and Manchester Marathons.
Image 2: Becky Richardson passing Elizabeth Tower.
Image 3: Becky Richardson, right, with her auntie Ann Delve, raised more than £7,200 for the Hospice of the Good Shepherd.
Image 4: Ian Dawson during the Manchester Marathon.
Image 5: London Marathon finisher Becky Richardson, right, with fellow finance team members Lauren McLeod and Eddie Austin, who completed the Manchester and Boston Marathons respectively.