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ClimateNE & Climate Change Schools Project support the move to a low-carbon, resilient economy and help businesses avoid risk and realise commercial opportunities. Posts by Jen Atkinson, Krista McKinzey and Harriet Thew » Running a 13.1 mile half marathon is feat enough for anyone who takes part, but to then complete a 26 mile marathon only days later is something else.
This is what Lee Bartram, 23 of Redcar will be doing in April and all for charity. After taking part in Redcar's half marathon, he will be running in London's gruelling marathon event.
Lee is raising money for deafblind charity SENSE who is the leading National Charity that supports and campaigns for children and adults who are deafblind and who provide expert advice and information as well as specialist services to deafblind people, their families, carers and the professionals who work with them. They also support people who have sensory impairments with additional disabilities.
Lee said: "I'm running a marathon for the first time. I've previously ran half marathons ( Great North Run, Redcar Half Marathon).
"I work for Barclaycard and will be running with 50 colleagues from all areas of the company. Our aim is to raise ã1000 each which will then be doubled by Barclaycard which means we will have raised between us ã200,000 for SENSE.
National Events Manager, Marianne Beggs said: "We're really pleased Lee Bartram is braving the London Marathon for Sense.
"The funds he raises and has matched by Barclaycard offer a vital lifeline to deafblind people, offering support and teaching skills to live as independently as possible.
"Most of what we learn about the world comes through our ears and eyes, so deafblind people face major challenges with communication, access to information and mobility.
"We believe Lee couldn't be running for a more worthwhile cause and we'll be behind him every step of the way, cheering him on!"
Between now and April, Lee will be training five times a week to raise his fitness level needed to finish the marathon.
Lee will be holding a raffle mid-February hoping to gather sponsorships to help him raise as much money as possible for the charity. Although a date for the raffle is not yet set, he is planning doing it mid - February.
Lee has been asking work colleagues for any unwanted Christmas gifts they would be willing to donate to the raffle.
Lee added: "Middlesbrough Football Club have kindly donated a signed football towards the raffle. I was hoping local companies may be in a position to donate anything towards the raffle to help raise as much as possible."
If anyone would like to sponsor Lee, he has set up a site at where anybody can make a donation towards the target. This site also gives details of the run.
www.justgiving.com/leebartram
For further details, please call Lee Bartram on: 07737534458 or email the event organiser jon.medcraft@sense.org.uk
SENSE website: www.sense.org.uk
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