Julie Marshall, Finance Officer at the Abbeyfield and Wesley Society, will ‘Run Around the Houses’ in what is a lengthy coastal route from Donaghadee to Carrickfergus.
Julie Marshall, Finance Officer at the Abbeyfield and Wesley Society, will ‘Run Around the Houses’ in what is a lengthy coastal route from Donaghadee to Carrickfergus.
Abbeyfield and Wesley is calling on its residents’ families, friends and the general public to support Julie as she embarks on her 41-mile run to support its outdoor initiative on Friday 13 May 2022.
Julie will ‘Run Around the Houses’, from Abbeyfield’s Barnagh Close property in Donaghadee, to its Wesley Court site in Carrickfergus, in a bid to raise funds for the Breath of Fresh Air programme.
This programme creates lovingly nurtured outdoor spaces, beautifully crafted and populated with flora and fauna that support the wellbeing of Abbeyfield and Wesley’s residents.
It has already launched outdoor spaces at its Carrickfergus, Lurgan and east Belfast sites among others, where it transformed unused spaces into community gardens.
Paths, flowers and vegetables as well as seating areas encourage residents to spend time outdoors to boost their mental and physical well-being as well as supporting immunity strength and promoting good sleep habits.
More financial support is needed to roll the initiative out to other properties however, which has prompted Julie to undertake the huge challenge of running 41 miles.
Her path will see her pass 11 Abbeyfield and Wesley properties with a fundraising target of £5,000, and now she is asking the public for help. Support can be given in donations or by morally supporting her on part of the run, or indeed all of it.
Abbeyfield and Wesley has also set up a charity page to make it easy for online donations - https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/abbeyfield-wesley
Sponsorships are also welcomed, as too are supporters who wish to cheer Julie on her mission.
Speaking about the run, Julie, who is from Carrickfergus, said: “I really enjoy running and the Run Around the Houses is a great way to combine work and pleasure all for a wonderful project.
“If there are any runners out there who would like to join me for part of the run, or even all of it, please get in touch.”
Geraldine Gilpin, Chief Executive, Abbeyfield & Wesley Housing Association said: “We wish Julie all the best with her Run Around the Houses in aid of our Breath of Fresh Air programme.
“This is no easy feat. It’s a very lengthy route with many challenges on the way and we take our hats off to Julie for undertaking this endeavour.
“While we will be cheering her on along the way, we would love to have members of the public and friends and family of Abbeyfield and Wesley to join us on this adventure.”
The approximate timeline for the run on Friday 13 May is :
For further information on Abbeyfield and Wesley and the Run Around the Houses event please check out www.abbeyfieldandwesley.org.uk
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