Running for a Reason
We often look for reasons for why we do the things that we do. They give us meaning, a purpose or a cause. And knowing we are contributing to something greater than ourselves feels good to do. And that is what Graham Benham did when he started 'Running for a Reason'.
Please meet Graham Benham from the Royal Mail sorting office in Sheerness. He's the man in a red polo on the left holding the cheque. A well-loved postie and a supportive husband, so much so, that when his wife had a dress to get into in time for their daughter's wedding, they decided to slim down together. Within a few months, Graham had lost 4 stone and decided to see if he could still run like he used to enjoy doing when he was younger.
Graham would run along the sheerness seafront, lost in his own thoughts. And he found himself wondering why was he running. He had been watching the wind turbines off the coast and considering their purpose which led him to consider his own. "They turn to create clean energy, they turn to do good.
So, I am going to run for good causes"
Alongside his 15km postal route, Graham took on running 5k every day for 5 days, so he would have done 100km. Every day he ran in memory of someone different who had received end of life care and raised money for the cause that supported them. His brother, his parents, his sister-in-law. He had some vests made with their photo and name on. So passers-by knew who and why he was running.
On Wednesday he ran for Mick Bundock. A long-standing colleague of 25 years who received support from the Wisdom Hospice at the end of his life. Graham remembers him as the selfless colleague who gave up his holiday to gave up his holiday so Graham could be present at a poignant D-Day Commemoration.
Mick with his running vests for his challenge
To remember Mick he ran from Mick's home to Queenborough and ran along Mick's Royal Mail Route, receiving lots of support from his regular customers. He promoted his fundraising using JustGiving, which made it really easy for people to donate and support him along his 100km. On the last day of his challenge, he even has the Fire & Rescue team follow him along his seafront finish to see him complete it and celebrate at the finish like with him.
Graham raised £3,000 with amazing donations from a whole community of supporters and split this across different charities that helped those he ran in memory of. We are grateful to receive £500 donated by Graham in memory of Mick Bundock.
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