Solihull woman running London Marathon for SSAFA

24 January 2023

Laura Wickens, 29, from Solihull, is running the London Marathon for SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity, to say ‘thank you’. SSAFA supported her family through a terrible accident and now she wants to give a little back.

Laura says: “My cousin had just joined the RAF and was stationed down at RAF Halton. He was out for the day when tragically he was involved in a car crash.

“Laurence was in the front passenger side of the car which was wrapped around a telegraph pole. He was rushed to hospital and remained in a coma for 3 weeks. We were told he may have to learn to walk and talk again, if he managed to pull through and we feared what his future might look like.”

Laurence and his family were supported by SSAFA, which has case workers to look after service people and their families in their times of need. Laurence made a great recovery and now Laura is saying ‘thank you’ to the charity by raising funds so they can continue to help other families like hers.

Laura says: “I saw first hand the support that SSAFA offered my family and I would like to be able to repay the favour by running the London Marathon and raising as much money as I can in the knowledge it will help another family like ours.”

Laura is new to running. Despite being surprised that she has chosen this as a way to fundraise, her family are backing her and will be there to cheer her on.

Laura says: “For me personally, this is a huge challenge. I am not a runner or a sports person in any way. It's a massive undertaking for me, but one that I am determined to stick with.

“To my friends and family it has been a real amusement that I have decided to take on something like this, but I am hoping this will spur people on to give even more to SSAFA.”