Marathon man Tim thanked for charity fundraising efforts

Marathon runner Tim Wigginton received a rapid response to his plea for donations to support The Ambulance Services Charity (TASC) for completing the London Marathon in April. 

The Braintree duty locality officer raised £575 and was invited to meet support staff at the charity’s head office in Coventry this month to hand over his donation and to put his name forward as a regional support team member.

Tim, who also ran the Paris marathon with paramedic wife Sophie in April, said: “I wasn’t initially going to run for any charity but then about a week before the marathon, I changed my mind and decided to run for TASC so I was really pleased to raise over £500 in just seven days.

“People often say that it is mostly a mental challenge and that the crowd really carries you for the last four miles, but there certainly wasn’t anyone offering to carry me!”

Tim completed the London Marathon in just over five hours and the money he raised is the single largest donation the charity has received since it launched at the end of March.

The newly-formed national charity provides nationwide advice and support services to both serving and retired ambulance personnel and their families and dependents in times of difficulty and urgent need. 

Tim, who has raised over £25,000 for charity in the last four years, added: “The support that TASC provides is vital. The job has changed so much since I started 21 years ago, it’s almost unrecognisable. The amount of work the ambulance services community undertakes and the high pressures faced in the job is much greater now so people really need to have access to support.”

Angie Crashley, Support Services Administrator of TASC, said: “We are extremely grateful for Tim’s support, and donations such as this really help to make a difference to the lives of those in the ambulance community.”

To access confidential, impartial and independent advice and support from The Ambulance Services Charity please contact its Support Line 0800 1032999.

If you would like to support the charity, make a donation or to find out more information visit www.theasc.org.uk, call 02477 987922 or email enquiries@theasc.co.uk.

Published 7th June 2015