Latest news with #LondonMarathon
Leader Live
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Leader Live
Wrexham dad takes on marathon mission for Hope House
For his next challenge, Matt Jones, from Wrexham, will be power hiking 26 marathons consecutively in 26 days, from John O'Groats to London with the fridge freezer on his back, finishing with the London Marathon itself on April 26, 2026. Matt's last challenge called 'One Bet' saw him complete a 112km walk across the Clwydian Range with the fridge, including 15,000ft of elevation gain, to honour a bet he made with his late wife Vicky and their four children. Matt Jones on his last challenge. Vicky passed away in December 2024. Highlighting her mantra of "never be normal, never be boring", and setting a positive example to his children drove Matt to raising an incredible £75,000 for Hope House Tŷ Gobaith. Announcing the new challenge, Matt said: "This isn't just a stunt - it's a tribute from me and children to Vicky. "It's about strength in the face of loss. It's about the families supported by Hope House. "It's a reminder that with the right team, the right cause, and a bit of madness - anything is possible." He added: "Doing the Llangollen challenge genuinely helped me a lot. But after our visit to Hope House, we were inspired to do something else. "I popped a message in a WhatsApp chat I have with my support crew and the idea of going from Llangollen to London for the Marathon came up. "The guys humoured me, saying it wasn't far enough, and all downhill to the Capital. Read more: Wrexham man's bike trek boost raises over £6,000 for charities "So we thought, where is the furthest place in Britain from London? John O'Groats, Scotland. "My brother-in-law, Simon, worked it out that the distance is exactly that of 26 marathons - so there it was. "Coming back from visiting Hope House with the kids, we spoke about it and stopped the car. I asked them, 'are we going to do this?' and the answer was a resounding 'yes'." Matt Jones aka Fridge Freezer Man and his 'Wolfpack' present their fundraising cheque at Hope House. Matt said: "This challenge really is the next level for us as a team. It's over 1,000km. "But, with the support of my crew and The Wolfpack (my children) I know we can do it. "The training plan has started. I'm mostly worried how the feet and prosthetic hip will hold up… physically and mentally I know we can do this. Read more: Flintshire teenager completes Three Peaks Challenge in under 30 hours "I've got a few big hitters lined up to join me in support and spread the message. "Expect a few surprises and stunts along the way." Hope House Tŷ Gobaith fundraiser, Vicky Bradbeer, said: "This is the biggest and most intense fundraising challenge I've seen. "Matt's reasoning for doing the challenges is so meaningful and we are incredibly grateful to him. Read more: Putting on the 'greatest show' for children's hospice fundraiser "Vicky, his children, all his family, friends and team must be immensely proud of him - as are we. "Everything this incredible test raises will go directly to providing professional care and respite for local children and families living with a life-threatening condition. "Our mission is to reach every child and family we can and give them support to live their best possible lives and from the point of diagnosis." To follow Matt's epic adventures, search Fridge Freezer Man on Facebook and Instagram. You can donate to his hospice fundraising page at:
The Herald Scotland
a day ago
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
Eilish McColgan on rival's failed drug test & "disgusting" online hate
McColgan, who had been meant to run against Chepng'etich in the Scot's London Marathon debut in April until the Kenyan withdrew, felt it was detrimental to the sport but praised the authorities for taking swift action. Speaking in her new role as an ambassador for the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, McColgan said: 'I try not to think about it too much because I feel like if I stand on the start line and that's all I'm thinking about then it's a very negative place to be. 'But it is really disappointing. I think a lot of people now look at that and suspect that doping's rife within the sport. 'When the top, top person is doing it, it is really disappointing but I think the agents and coaches need to be a little bit more responsible for that as well. I mean this isn't just Ruth doing this on her own. 'There's a deeper team involved here that are essentially….. I'm not going to say using an athlete but do you know what I mean? Whether there's coaches, doctors, agents, particularly, I think they need to be held responsible in some way. 'The ban is on the athlete but there needs to be something on the coaches and the people that are administrating this to try and cut it down. 'They're really having a big crackdown on Kenya at the moment which is amazing to see. Kenya Athletics, to be fair to them, have invested a lot of money in catching people and it is obviously clearly working which is great.' McColgan also revealed she had been the victim of racist abuse online after announcing her engagement to partner, Michael Rimmer. The 10,000m Commonwealth Games champion has previously been outspoken about receiving hateful comments about her appearance but said the comments about being a mixed-race couple were 'disgusting'. And she hoped more would be done by social media firms and other watchdogs to try to clam down on it. She added: 'The abuse I get is usually about body image but I recently posted about my engagement to my partner. 'And the racist abuse that we received, obviously being a mixed-race couple, was honestly disgusting. I've never read anything like it in my life. 'That was probably pretty eye-opening for me because it was a different type of abuse that was coming towards me that I'd never experienced before. 'And it's maybe how my parents feel when they read stuff about me. It was me reading that about someone I love, which was difficult to do. So it probably gave me a little bit of a greater appreciation of what my family probably have to go through when they read stuff about me online. 'But sadly, that's just the downside of social media and the online world that we're in. All we can do is keep standing up for ourselves, voicing our disgust at it, outing people who are maybe not afraid to share their names and stuff online, but also ask for verification on social media. 'All we can do is continue to call it out, try and educate the next generation on not being an arsehole pretty much.'
Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Southport victims to be celebrated in major 'beautiful, positive' tribute
Work is underway to build a playground commemorating Alice Aguiar and Bebe King at Churchtown Primary school in Southport their parents say will preserve their 'beautiful' memories The parents of two girls who died in the Southport attack have said a playground in their memory will serve as a 'beautiful, positive" commemoration. Sergio and Alex Aguiar and Lauren and Ben King visited their daughter's former primary school as work on the playground and library got underway. The project, at Churchtown Primary, will include a stage in memory of their daughters, Alice Aguiar, nine, and six-year-old Bebe King, who died in the July 29 attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class. Mrs King said: 'We've all made a choice - we want to continue our daughters' light and energy, always. They wouldn't want it any other way." She said the families had to 'keep searching for those glimmers - the light in the dark', adding: 'When the pupils are here they will think of Alice and Bebe but it will be in a beautiful, positive memory. It won't be anything negative for them, which will help them to move forward.' The playground is one of several projects that have been set up in remembrance of the girls, including Alice's Wonderdance, Bebe's Hive, and Elsie's Story, set up in memory of seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe, who also died in the attack. The library and stage in the playground are intended to celebrate Alice and Bebe's shared love of books, creativity, and performing. Mr Aguiar, who ran the London marathon to raise funds for the playground, said it 'meant a lot' that there would be a lasting tribute at the school where they were pupils. He said: 'They are always going to be a part of this school. I think it's going to look brilliant. The children are going to love the playground.' Nearly £400,000 has already been raised for the project. Any surplus funds will be shared between local charities supporting Southport's recovery in the wake of the attack. Mr King said: 'So much is going to happen here and it's going to be so exciting for the school and the friends of Bebe and Alice. It's just going to be fantastic and bring so much joy to them.' Mrs Aguiar added: 'A lot of generations are going to enjoy the playground here in the name of the girls. It's going to be very special. It's going to be a new start for everyone." Both sets of parents said they had no doubt their daughters would approve of the playground. Mrs King said: 'We said they would be fighting for the first base on the stage or they will end up doing a complicated dance routine together, showing their friends. They would just love it.' Head teacher, Jinnie Payne, who also ran the London Marathon as part of the fundraising drive, said the start of the construction work marked a significant step in a journey that has united the school in grief, determination and hope. She said: 'This will be a place full of colour and laughter, where Alice's and Bebe's enthusiasm lives on and inspires others.'. It is hoped the playground will be completed ahead of the start of the new school year in September.
Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Jesy Nelson admits being in 'constant state of fear' during tough pregnancy with twins
Former Little Mix star Jesy Nelson has opened up about her difficult pregnancy journey as her twins Ocean and Story make their very first live TV appearance on This Morning Former Little Mix star Jesy Nelson has opened up about the rare health condition that left her in "a constant state of fear" during her pregnancy with twin girls Ocean and Story. Back in May, Jesy gave birth to twin girls, naming them Ocean Jade Nelson-Foster and Story Monroe Nelson-Foster. Speaking in her first live interview with This Morning, Jesy, who shares her twins with Zion Foster, opened up about learning that her twin girls had twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome - a rare condition that threatened their lives before they were born. "I couldn't believe the percentages and what could potentially happen to them. I almost felt from that point I couldn't really enjoy my pregnancy because I was constantly worried that something would happen," she said. "I could only take it two weeks at a time." Opening up about the symptoms, she said: "There were symptoms to look out for - if your belly gets really tight like a drum, if you're struggling with your breathing. "We went to the park and I couldn't even walk because I was so out of breath." However, she added that she often couldn't tell the difference between signs of the condition and what was normal for a pregnancy with twins. She added that she was in a "constant state of fear" due to the twins' condition. Thankfully, Jesy delivered the baby girls in May, announcing the news on Instagram. Jesy said: "So… Our beautiful baby girls decided to come at 31weeks plus 5 days. It all happened so quickly, but we are so blessed that they are here with us, healthy and fighting strong! We've never felt more in love. Everybody meet Ocean Jade Nelson-Foster and Story Monroe Nelson-Foster. Born on 15.05.2025." The first-time mum had lived in hospital for ten weeks before the birth, after their daughters developed twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome in the womb. The rare condition could have been fatal for both babies so the couple planned for Jesy's labour to be induced once the twins were deemed strong enough around the 32 week stage. In the months leading up to Ocean and Story's birth, Jesy documented her difficult and emotional pregnancy for fans. She required emergency surgery in April after the twin-to-twin transfusion diagnosis, with Jesy telling fans at the time: "We feel so grateful and blessed that these little babies are still going strong." Jesy and Zion began dating back in November 2022, with the musician running the London Marathon in May to raise money for the Twins Trust - a charity which offers support for families with twins. Speaking to The Mirror at the time, Zion said of the twins: 'They're giving us so much hope they're going to come out healthy. Jesy and the twins have come through so much. There were so many times in this pregnancy we didn't think we'd get to where we are now. "Their strength has been unmatched. We literally feel like we know them already just because of how much they've overcome. Their characters are so strong. They're so brave.' Earlier this year, Jesy revealed that she will be showing her pregnancy journey on screen as part of a six-part documentary. Set to arrive on Prime Video, the series will follow the ups-and-downs of her pregnancy experience. Jesy said: "I feel so excited and proud that we can finally reveal we have been filming our own series for Amazon! We met with the creative director Demi Foyle and Producer Gavin Evans at Navybee and letting the cameras in wasn't an easy decision for us as it's such a deeply personal time but I knew I wanted to tell my story in my own words. "We opened the doors fully and I'm really looking forward to letting you all in as I navigate my way to becoming a first time mum to our beautiful baby girls Ocean and Story. I'll be honest, it's not been easy as it's been such a high risk pregnancy, so you'll see all the highs and lows and rollercoaster of emotions we have been going through. I hope you will all join me on this journey as I really open up and say goodbye to the past and enter this new chapter in my life. I hope you love it as much as we do." Meanwhile, Prime Video said that Jesy will "share her truth like never before", with the documentary featuring footage of "weekly hospital visits and candid conversations" as well as the unwavering support of her loved ones. Jesy is also set to open up about her decision to leave Little Mix in 2020, her mental health difficulties and the controversies that hit her career.
NDTV
4 days ago
- NDTV
Marathon Legend Fauja Singh's Last Rites Held In Jalandhar
The last rites of 114-year-old marathon legend Fauja Singh were held in Jalandhar on Sunday, following his tragic death in a road accident on July 14. Family members, friends, and admirers gathered to pay their respects to the iconic runner, who was fondly known as the 'Sikh Superman' and the 'Turbaned Tornado' for his remarkable achievements in marathon running. Fauja was hit by an unknown white vehicle while out on his routine walk and later succumbed to his injuries during treatment. The incident occurred on Monday around 3 pm, when Fauja Singh, a resident of Beas village under Adampur police station, stepped out for a walk after lunch. #WATCH | Jalandhar, Punjab: Fauja Singh's grandson Harleen Singh says, "We found out about his accident 30 minutes after it happened. At that time, my uncle said he was only wounded in the elbows. Two to three hours later, we learned that he had not regained consciousness,… — ANI (@ANI) July 20, 2025 While he was walking alone towards the highway, a speeding vehicle hit him. He was immediately rushed to Shriman Hospital, but passed away during treatment at 7 pm, police said. Speaking on Fauja Singh's demise, his grandson Harleen Singh told ANI, "We found out about his accident 30 minutes after it happened. At that time, my uncle said he was only wounded in the elbows. Two to three hours later, we learned that he had not regained consciousness, shocking everyone here. He promoted sports, Sikhism, and an anti-drug initiative. When he started running marathons, he donated his money." Fauja Singh, popularly known as the 'Sikh Superman', stunned the world by shattering several records as a marathon runner in multiple age brackets. Since making his debut at the London Marathon in 2000 at the age of 89, Singh has completed it six more times and has also finished marathons in Toronto, New York, and several more cities. Remembered as a symbol of resilience and inspiration, Fauja Singh's legacy will continue to motivate generations around the world.
