{"id":2617,"date":"2018-04-15T10:15:35","date_gmt":"2018-04-15T08:15:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.christchurchswindon.co.uk\/blog\/?p=2617"},"modified":"2018-05-02T23:11:36","modified_gmt":"2018-05-02T21:11:36","slug":"a-message-from-verity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.christchurchswindon.co.uk\/blog\/2018\/04\/a-message-from-verity\/","title":{"rendered":"A Message from Verity"},"content":{"rendered":"
Dear Church Family!<\/div>\n
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I run the Virgin London Marathon whenever I can.<\/div>\n
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Usually, I hold several fundraising events well before the day and exceed the target\u2026.but this year it has not been feasible. \u00a0However, I will have the month after the 22nd April to sell cakes, hold tea parties etc to raise final funds for The Children\u2019s Society if I don\u2019t make enough by the day. \u00a0My target is \u00a32,000!<\/div>\n
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If any of you would like to sponsor me I would be SO grateful! \u00a0You can either donate online or sign a sponsorship form and give cash to Francis or myself. \u00a0Tomorrow I am catering for Messy Church so I\u2019m not sure I can make it along to Christchurch in the morning. \u00a0Francis will be there all being well.<\/div>\n
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Finally, I would really value your prayers for all taking part next weekend \u2026the weather is due to be pretty hot apparently \u2026not what we have been accustomed to over the past few months. \u00a0There will be over 38,000 runners, the majority of whom will be running for charity.<\/div>\n
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I am copying the link to my Fundraising Page,\u00a0https:\/\/www.justgiving.com\/Verity-Brooke18<\/a> and for those who cannot access it, I am copying the story I wrote a couple of weeks ago when I set up the page.<\/div>\n
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Thank you so much for reading this and God bless you all.<\/div>\n
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With much appreciation,<\/div>\n
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Verity<\/div>\n
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MY STORY<\/u><\/b><\/div>\n
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Over the years, I personally have been, and still am, involved with vulnerable and disadvantaged children and young adults having to deal with difficulties and traumas way beyond their years which an adult would find hard to cope with. I am passionate about trying to help improve the lives of such children, albeit it in my limited capacity, and I know that if I can raise funds for The Children’s Society, the money will be well used.
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The Children’s Society writes “Children in this country are facing multiple problems that are leaving them overwhelmed. They feel alone, unloved and don\u2019t know where to turn. \u00a0By supporting The Children\u2019s Society, you\u2019re helping these children get the help they urgently need. Our supporters around the country fund our services, volunteer with us, and join our campaigns to show children and young people they are on their side. Together we make a real and positive difference to the lives of children in this country. With your support we can change the lives of even more.”<\/i><\/div>\n
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I appreciate that I am not giving you much time to donate, but thankfully this page will be open for a month after the Marathon has taken place, should you wish to donate after The Big Day!! \u00a0There have been a few setbacks along the way which have made me wonder whether I would be able to run again, the last being a fall a few weeks ago where I broke bones in my hand! \u00a0I hasten to add, I was not running and it was not in the snow or ice!! \u00a0Just a local pothole in the dark!! \u00a0But having seen and read about so many inspirational running friends of mine, training in all weathers and circumstances, I told myself to “Man UP! and give it my best shot, even if a tad undertrained, for an incredible charity.<\/i>Last year, some of you may know I lost a very dear running buddy who made me promise not to give up running when she was gone, not least the London Marathon which I pulled out of last year when she was going through aggressive treatment. \u00a0So this VLM 2018 I will be running the 26.2 miles for Jo in her memory. \u00a0Amongst other things, Jo inspired me in my work with children and young adults and encouraged me to take up the baton so to speak in so many great causes.\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n

Additionally, I will, as I have done in the past, dedicate each individual mile of the marathon to a very special person or persons, past or present, including my dear husband’s late brother Richard Maples who died unexpectedly last Christmas. \u00a0(Richard always encouraged me in my marathon persuits and is greatly missed by us all). Each mile will be in their honour as they inspire me to get through the tough course. \u00a0I will write their names down on a list and tick them off as I complete each mile (I jokingly said it was my Sainsbury’s\u00a0list to a fellow runner in the 2016 VLM at the Start Line… he thought I was serious!). \u00a0Some of the children and adults I have run with in their wheelchairs\/racing buggies, some have passed on from this life to the next, some are still battling through many hardships…each and every one of them has made an impact on my life and when the going gets tough I know they will spur me on. \u00a0(I hope to get photos of some of these dear folk\u00a0in my gallery on this page). \u00a0I could not do the marathon without them or without the support and encouragement of so many of you…I am blessed with an amazing family and incredible friends…something the children The Children’s Society are trying to help do not have.<\/i><\/p>\n

If you are able to donate to this awesome charity I know they will be really grateful…as will I!! \u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n

Thank you all SO much for reading this!! You are all part of my marathon team!<\/i><\/p>\n

Verity x\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Dear Church Family! I run the Virgin London Marathon whenever I can. Usually, I hold several fundraising events well before the day and exceed the target\u2026.but this year it has not been feasible. \u00a0However, I will have the month after the 22nd April to sell cakes, hold tea parties etc to raise final funds for The Children\u2019s Society if I don\u2019t make enough by the day. \u00a0My target is \u00a32,000! If any of you would like to sponsor me I would […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2617","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.christchurchswindon.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2617","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.christchurchswindon.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.christchurchswindon.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.christchurchswindon.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.christchurchswindon.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2617"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.christchurchswindon.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2617\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2624,"href":"https:\/\/www.christchurchswindon.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2617\/revisions\/2624"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.christchurchswindon.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2617"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.christchurchswindon.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2617"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.christchurchswindon.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2617"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}