Caroline set to take on London Marathon challenge

Caroline set to take on London Marathon challenge

A Wildchild Officer for Staffordshire Wildlife Trust is lacing up her trainers and getting ready to run the London Marathon this April.

Caroline Birchall-Slack, who turns 40 in July, is raising funds for the Trust by tackling the gruelling 26 mile and 385 yard marathon later this year.

The Trust secured a place for the marathon towards the end of last year and Caroline, a mother of three stepped up to accept the challenge.

Caroline, from Kidsgrove and who is in the middle of six months of training for the big occasion, said: ā€œIā€™m not a road runner by any stretch of the imagination, so taking on the challenge is definitely a huge undertaking for me.

ā€œI celebrate my 40thĀ birthday this year and itā€™s the 40thĀ anniversary of the London Marathon, so perhaps it was meant to be and this is my time to run it.

ā€œI have entered the ballot five times by myself in the past five years but havenā€™t been lucky enough to bag a place, so jumped at the chance when I knew the Trust were looking for someone. Itā€™s been an ambition of mine for quite a while.

ā€œThe training is going well although longer runs in the winter weather are a challenge all of their own!Ā 

ā€œI feel very lucky to work for the Trust and want to raise as much as possible. Our team facilitate nature based play sessions across the county and the benefits of children and young people spending time outdoors are numerous.

ā€œAny donations I receive will go towards the Trustā€™s mission to protect wildlife and wild places in Staffordshire.ā€

Anyone who would like to sponsor Caroline can do so hereĀ https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/carolinebirchallslack