Ben’s Marathon and a Half for Stripey Stork

When it comes to supporting Stripey Stork, Ben Harris didn’t just go the extra mile – he ran a marathon and a half to raise vital funds for Stripey Stork.

Why Stripey Stork?

Ben is a member of Reigate Squash Club, which recently chose Stripey Stork as their Charity of the Year. For Ben, the decision to support Stripey Stork was an easy one. Having grown up in Reigate, he wanted to give back to a charity making a direct impact on his community. The work we do resonates with him, and he knew that every pound raised would go towards helping local families in need.

The Challenge: Two Races, One Goal

Ben’s fundraising journey began at Run Reigate on Sunday 22^nd September 2024, where he laced up his trainers for the half marathon which goes through his hometown. You couldn’t miss him in his distinctive bright orange Stripey Stork t-shirt. We were there to cheer him across the finish line and catch up with him afterwards.

The Run Reigate Half was absolutely fantastic, and I couldn’t have enjoyed it more than with such a supportive group of people at the beginning, during, and the end of the race!

But this was just the warm up…

A few weeks later, on Saturday 6^th October, Ben took on an even bigger challenge: the Lisbon Marathon. Running 26.2 miles through the scenic streets of Portugal’s capital was no small feat, but Ben was determined to complete his mission and raise as much money as possible for Stripey Stork. We spoke to Ben about his preparation and the actual race.

Physically – I tried to run a few runs at different paces (both marathon pace and faster), so on the day the pace felt relatively familiar. Mentally- I tried my best to think of Stripey Stork and to think about the big portion of Piri Piri Portuguese chicken waiting for me. The marathon was incredible! Atmosphere was buzzing, even the day before when collecting our bib from the expo, it suddenly felt all very real! It was about 18 degrees and cloudy but was along the coast from Cascais to Lisbon, so we were blessed with beautiful views the entire way.

Ben completed the race in 3hr44mins and he said:

I was very happy to run under 3hr50mins but was more focused on finishing as my body was quite sore towards the end! My legs (mainly quads and Achilles) were quite sore until about 4 days after, then began to feel relatively “normal” again. But the feeling of euphoria afterwards was the best thing!

A fundraising success

Ben’s hard work and dedication paid off. Not only did he complete both races, but he also smashed his fundraising goal, raising a fantastic £1,115. Congratulations and thank you Ben, from everyone at Team Stork. Ben’s fundraising page is still live so if you want to congratulate him you can donate here.

Could you be our next fundraiser?

Fundraising for Stripey Stork allows us to continue supporting families in the community by providing essential items like baby clothes, toys, and nursery equipment. Money raised goes towards ensuring children have a safe and comfortable environment to grow up in. This practical support not only eases the financial burden for struggling families, but also helps to restore dignity and hope, empowering families to focus on building a brighter future.

Fundraising can take on many different forms, whether it’s running a race, hosting a bake sale, or taking on a different kind of challenge.  If you’re up for it, we’d love to hear from you and support you along the way. With every fundraising initiative, we can make a real difference in the lives of even more families across Surrey and Croydon. Visit our website for more information.