Garstang chip shop owner to take on London Marathon for The Matthew Hesmondhalgh Memorial Fund

Read previous stories /the-matthew-hesmondhalgh-memorial-fund-screens-its-1-000th-person-in-garstang-1-9006274 and /freckleton-woman-will-remember-her-dad-during-the-london-marathon-1-9105367 and /catterall-fund-raisers-lead-an-army-for-the-matthew-hesmondhalgh-memorial-fund-in-garstang-1-9006639Nicola Clark, of Garstang, will take on the London Marathon this weekend, for The Matthew Hesmondhalgh Memorial Fund.

Money from the fund will go towards providing heart screenings for youngsters aged 14 to 35, via CRY (Cardiac Risk in the Young).

The 42-year-old also sold bacon sandwiches during the Garstang Gallop earlier this year, with members of her running team CRY Babies, totting funds up by a further £311.

Nicola said: “I know Matthew’s dad, Barry, as he comes into my chip shop - The Fish and Chip Plaice. I always said if I ran the London Marathon I would do it in Matthew’s memory to raise funds for heart screenings.

Matthew’s parents, Paula and Barry are friends of mine now and they are such an inspiration.

“This is the third run I have done for CRY.

“Until you do the marathon, you don’t realise how much training you need to do. I have been running between 40 and 50 miles a week.

“When you are there, you hear so many inspirational stories.

“I have a team of friends who I run with, called the CRY Babies and we do a variety of fund-raising events. We have sold bacon butties at the Garstang Gallop, raising £311 and we did a pub crawl, getting an extra £170.

“I have had so much support from my customers and every one has been so generous.”

Nicola is now planning her next challenge - the Yorkshire Three Peaks - and she hopes to take part in the Manchester Marathon next year.

The CRY Babies will be selling cakes outside Booths in Garstang on Saturday April 28.

To support Nicola visit http://www.uk.virginmoneygiving.com/NicolaClark19