A week on Sunday our amazing team of runners will be on the start line for this year’s Great North Run. We’re delighted to welcome several representatives from the corporate world who are making it their business to support refugees and asylum seekers through their running. Let us introduce you to Kieran, Ben and Grant – and if you’d like to donate to their fundraising pages, scroll down for details!
For the third year running, we’re delighted to have representatives from two of our region’s top law firms – Muckle LLP and Clifford Chance.
Kieran Woonton (pictured above on the right next to his Muckle colleague, David Wozniak and Action Foundation’s Laura Strachan) is a Construction Solicitor with Muckle LLP and a first-time Great North Run participant. He first discovered Action Foundation through his football club, Benton FC, which has supported our charity with fundraisers in the past and features Action Foundation on their training tops.
In August he visited our InterAction Drop-in to find out more about the kind of support Action Foundation offers and to present us with a cheque for £500. Kieran said:
“I am a strong believer in providing support and integration to vulnerable people.”
Although he’s new to the half-marathon distance, Kieran has been steadily building his endurance, recently completing a 20k run with the Muckle LLP running club. “I know that I can do it,” he told us. “Now I’m just concentrating on doing it without stopping and getting a good time.”
Kieran in his Benton FC kit
Kieran’s fundraising efforts have been really successful, with £275 of donations from friends and family plus the further boost of £500 from his employer, Muckle LLP.
Ben Kirkman, a Paralegal with Clifford Chance, ran for Action Foundation last year and is returning to the fray in 2024, despite getting drenched in last year’s downpour. Welcome back Ben!
Meanwhile Grant Gair, who works for Home Group as their Lead Salesforce Administrator, decided to run for us after finding out first-hand the kind of impact our charity makes for its beneficiaries. Grant was working with Homeless Link when he developed our new casework management system.
“I’ve seen first hand the impressive work Action Foundation delivers for clients and I know what a special organisation it is. The staff and volunteers all deliver invaluable services for the people engaging with all of the amazing projects. Their warm and welcoming nature is a true testament to their values. I want to run for Action Foundation and raise as many donations as possible, as I know it’s going directly to a local charity are who helping people who need it most.”
It may be Grant’s first GNR, but he’s confident he’s got this. “I’ve been working hard throughout the year in my new found hobby of running,” he said. “So I’ll be at the starting line, ready to give it my all!
To sponsor Grant click here
To sponsor Ben click here
To sponsor Kieran click here
