Rory Heard raised thousands of pounds by completing the London Marathon, as months of training, giving up smoking, cutting back on drink and eating healthy paid off. He completed the 26 mile course in an impressive four hours and 17 minutes.
Rory, who works in sales, lost over a stone in weight as he prepared for the gruelling challenge - raising funds for The National Deaf Children’s Society, one of Nimans’ chosen charities.
His exploits are expected to generate around £2,000, with boss Julian kindly matching all the sponsorship raised to double the overall total to £4,000. The funds will go towards NDCS’s vital support for deaf children and their families across the UK, from impartial one-to-one support and training for parents, to fun, confidence boosting events for deaf children.
Rory is now planning to take part again next year as he recalled an eventful day. “The last three miles were probably the most rewarding as I knew I had just enough energy left in the tank to get me to the end. I was hoping for a time under five hours, so for my first-ever marathon I was more than happy with my performance. I would recommend it to everyone as it's a great experience and well within reach if you do the training.”
He added: ““I was happy to be able to raise money for such a good cause and fulfil a personal goal in the process. I was overwhelmed by the generosity and support of my friend's, family and colleagues and feel it all made a massive difference in helping me across the finish line. I've definitely caught the running bug now.”
Roshni Mehta, NDCS Corporate and Events Executive, said: “We are delighted that Nimans are supporting Rory’s commitment to raise funds for NDCS. Almost all of our work is funded by donations alone, so the support of individuals like Rory and companies like Nimans is invaluable for us to continue our work with deaf children and their families.”