Social worker set for half marathon charity challenge in iconic Welsh capital race

• The Cardiff University/Cardiff Half Marathon returns to the city’s streets on Sunday 7 October

• The NSPCC is the lead charity partner for Wales’ largest road race and the UK’s second biggest half marathon event

• Runners who have signed up for Team NSPCC, like Cathryn, are sharing their stories of why they are running the iconic Welsh race for the charity
• The 13.1mile race is sold out, but a few NSPCC charity places remain up for grabs
• Tuesday 21 August

NSPCC Cymru is appealing for runners to take their final chance to sign up to run the Cardiff Half Marathon with the leading children’s charity.

General entry into the 13.1mile race, which takes place on Sunday 7 October, is now sold out but the NSPCC still has a few places remaining for runners to take part in the iconic event.

Among those already signed up to Team NSPCC is Cathryn Williams, who works for the charity at its base in Prestatyn.

The NSPCC is the lead charity partner for the UK’s second largest half marathon event and Cathryn, 36, originally from Anglesey, has set herself the challenge of taking part in the race for the first time.

“This is the first long distance running event I have ever entered,” said mother-of-two Cathryn, who now lives on the Wirral with her family.

“I decided last year that I wanted to set myself a challenge for 2018, so when the email arrived about the Cardiff Half, I signed up.

“The event is one of the biggest in Wales, which is one of the reasons I wanted to get involved, and I know how much these event can raise for the charity, where every penny counts.

“Working within the NSPCC, I know first-hand about all the good work we do particular working directly with children, young people and their families.”

Money raised by fundraisers taking part in the half marathon will allow the NSPCC to continue to support vital services across Wales.

These include ‘Speak out Stay safe’, which sees specially trained staff and volunteers visiting hundreds of primary schools across the country.

Each assembly they deliver equips pupils with the skills and knowledge they need to recognise abuse and speak out about it.

In 2016/17 alone the charity spoke to more than 58,000 children in over 490 Welsh primary visits.

Support from runners will also benefit three NSPCC service centres in Wales – Cardiff, Swansea and Prestatyn – which help vulnerable children and their families.

Des Mannion, the head of NSPCC Cymru / Wales, said: “It’s vital that we help children who have suffered abuse and neglect and work to prevent it from happening in the first place.

“The NSPCC carries out a great deal of this work in schools, via Childline and in our service centres. But we want to do more and we need the help of the public to achieve our aims.

“Cathryn’s support is very much appreciated and we wish her the best of luck in the Cardiff Half.”

To take part in the Cardiff University/Cardiff Half Marathon in aid of NSPCC Cymru/Wales, go to nspcc.org.uk/what-you-can-do/charity-runs-cycles-and-challenges/charity-runs/cardiff-half-marathon/.

To sponsor Cathryn, visit justgiving.com/fundraising/cathryn-williams4.