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Our marathon hero




















Jim after his sixth marathon for MRDF.

 

MRDF supporter Jim Parrish was amongst thousands of charity fundraisers who completed this year's London Marathon in April.

Jim joined celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay, a man dressed as Santa Claus and 35,000 other people in the popular race – now the largest annual fundraising event in the world.
 
72-year-old Jim completed his 12th marathon – his sixth for MRDF – in five hours and sixteen minutes, despite telling his wife that last year's was the final time.
 

Jim, from Baildon, in Shipley, said: ‘I wanted to finish my marathon career on a nice round number, and 12 sounded good! This was definitely the last one – I think!'

Jim has raised over £1,000 for an MRDF partner organisation in Malawi that supports people living with HIV/AIDS. The project runs training sessions in sustainable agriculture and jam and soap making, so participants can make a living. It also helps them to deal with the stigma and discrimination associated with their HIV/AIDS status.

Jim said: 'My wife and I lived in various countries in Africa for nearly 30 years, and in Malawi for six of them. As it got harder for me to run round, I thought, “at least MRDF will gain something!”'

Simeon Mitchell, MRDF Fundraising, Marketing and Campaigning Director, said: ‘We are so proud of Jim! We were surprised when he called to say he would be running for us again, but we are extremely grateful for the effort he put in to complete the race. Many people in Malawi will now have the opportunity to earn a living to support themselves and their families.'
 
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