We’d like to bring you the inspiring story of the ‘Running Reverend’ Gareth McFadden who completed the Coast Half Marathon (Killough, County Down) in under two hours (1:59:25), raising almost £1,600 for our Christian Aid Week appeal.
This sum was added to Kilbride’s Christian Aid Week soup lunch, giving an incredible total of more than £3,100.
The Minister of Kilbride Presbyterian Church near Doagh in County Antrim got into running in early 2024 after his doctor told him that his blood pressure was dangerously high. In an effort to get fit, he began by taking on Christian Aid’s ‘70k in May’ challenge and it wasn’t long before he’d been bitten by the running bug.
“Running is great for my blood pressure management and I also find that my mental alertness has improved since taking up running, so my many ministry tasks are a little less overwhelming.
“When I started running, it was really tough. I wasn’t fit, so running even for one minute made me feel like being sick. But I was so alarmed by my high blood pressure that I pushed on through that horrible early phase and eventually became a runner.
“Ellen Hoy from Kilbride joined me on the Coast Half Marathon and graciously ran at my pace throughout the course, which is a good bit slower than her normal level. The County Down coast is so beautiful, it helped keep me going.”
Congratulations to Rev Gareth McFadden on reversing his health fortunes while also raising funds to help people living in poverty and crisis. Our thanks go to Ellen, as well as to his family and all those at Kilbride who sponsored him so generously.
For further information on Christian Aid Ireland, log on to: https://www.facebook.com/ChristianAidIreland
