Vicars on the Run
14/09/2012
Sunday 16th September isn't going to be a day of rest for a bunch of galloping Vicars in the Great North Run.
Amongst the 55,000 people pounding the 13.1 mile course from Newcastle to South Shields there will be lay and ordained church members stretching their legs and raising money for good causes. They include:
The Revd Nick Chamberlain, 48, Vicar of Jesmond St George and St Hilda is running for Diabetes UK. "I’m helping Diabetes UK because the disease affects my own family and many people in the parishes where I’ve worked. I so often hear 'I’m bad with sugar, vicar'. Diabetes is a hidden killer."
The Revd Alun Ford, 39, Curate of Jesmond St George and St Hilda has recently moved to Newcastle from London. "I’m running for Great Ormond Street Hospital. It’s a way of bringing my time in London and my new commitment to the North East together. I’m very aware of the needs of hospitals locally, but I also know people who have benefitted in our city from the particular skills of Great Ormond Street."
The Revd Matthew Hunter, 29, spent a year based at Jesmond St George and St Hilda before he was ordained, and is now Curate of Halifax Minster. "I’m running for Traidcraft: it’s a local, ethically-committed trading organisation, with proud links with the Great North Run."
The Revd Roger Mills, 54, Vicar of Kingston Park St John (Newcastle), is running to raise money for Christian Aid. "Christian Aid put all donations immediately to work where the need is greatest - in terms of either relief or development. Sums modest to us can make a life-changing difference elsewhere in the world." (see www.christianaid.org.uk for up-to-date news, including the desperate shortage of food in West Africa)
The Revd Bryan Vernon, 62, lecturer at Newcastle University and a worshipper at Jesmond St George is running for Christian Aid: "Some of those helped by Christian Aid have to walk five miles and back to a well just to get water to drink. When I’ve finished the race on Sunday, I’ll go and have a hot shower at the twist of a tap."
The Revd Canon Dr Dagmar Winter, 49, Priest-in-Charge of Kirkwhelpington, Kirkharle, Kirkheaton and Cambo, is running her 14th Great North Run in aid of Christian Aid's Anti-Malaria Campaign in Sierra Leone. See www.justgiving.com/DagmarWinter
Pictured above: the Jesmond crew. L to R: Nick Chamberlain, Alun Ford, Matthew Hunter, Bryan Vernon
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