Family ties strong for Marathon bid (From Swindon Advertiser)

Family ties strong for Marathon bid

7:00pm Sunday 3rd March 2013 in News

A MOTHER and daughter are set to tackle the London Marathon this year.

Janice Browning, 60, and Janine Bowler, 40, will take on the 26-mile course around the capital in April as they bid to raise money for the Zurich Community Trust.

Janine, a complaints advisor for Zurich, and Janice, a solicitor, are both keen runners and fundraisers, having raised money for Cancer Research, Macmillan Cancer Support and Alzheimer’s Society after losing family members to the debilitating conditions.

Janine, mother of Kody, seven, Greg, four, and Maxie Louisa, 10 months, said: “We are both into our running and as I’m turning 40 I wanted to do the London marathon for a second time. “My mum has always wanted to do it too and she was so pleased when Zurich gave her one of their places.

“We’ve done a lot of fundraising – I must have raised about £10,000 over the years through different events and we are nearly at our target for this event.

“We wanted to raise about £3,000 between us and we are on £2,600 so we are so close. “My nan, Jessie, died of cancer three years ago and within two weeks of losing her, my father-in-law, Alan, also died of cancer. “My grandad, Len, survived lung cancer 10 years ago but passed away two years ago having battled with Alzheimer’s. “All three of them always said charity begins at home, but without the support of Cancer Research, Macmillan, and the Alzheimer’s Society to name just a few, none of them would have survived as long as they did. “In that extra time they had, they got to meet their wonderful grandchildren. My nan, Louisa, passed away in 2012 and sadly missed meeting Maxie by days.

“We wanted to fundraise as a way of giving something back and at Zurich we are so lucky to have Zurich Community Trust, which is 40 years old this year.

“The work the Trust does is simply amazing. It’s so far reaching and helps so many charities.”

Money comes into the Trust half funded by the business and half funded by donations and fundraising by staff, and goes to three national partners, CLIC Sargent, Hope and Homes for Children and the Alzheimer’s Society as well as local causes. In Swindon, it gives about £100,000 to around 40 local charities each year. Sponsor Janine and Janice at http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/janinechugslondon or at http://uk.

virginmoneygiving.com/janicechugslondon