Army wife takes on buggy run for SSAFA

12 November 2021

Gillingham local, Sarah Morton, has ran a half marathon whilst pushing her two children in their buggy after the remembrance parade at Brompton Barracks on Sunday 14 November - she completed the course in 4 hours 1 minute, so far raising £520 for SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity.

Sarah, whose husband is a Corporal in the Royal Engineers, decided to take on the challenge for SSAFA as a thank you and to recognise the help that the charity gave to her when her husband was deployed to the South Sudan for six months.

Pregnant and looking after her young toddler alone, miles away from her family and friends, Sarah reached out to SSAFA where she was offered vital support. The charity provided funds to support with a nursery placement and local volunteers made regular contact with Sarah to check in with her, helping to combat any loneliness and isolation that she was experiencing as a result of her husband’s deployment.

She said, “SSAFA was a huge help to our family during this difficult time. Not just financially but emotionally too. I was able to send our son to nursery twice a week, and my caseworker checked in with me to offer emotional support, and occasionally we met in person which, as a mother of a small child, encouraged me a lot. I’d like to repay some of that kindness by raising money, it will allow them to help even more families like mine.”

Edited on 16.11.21