53 for 53 - Helen’s Runaway Success for Greenfingers Charity

A tireless woman has completed 53 runs in one year to raise funds for the Greenfingers Charity, who have opened 53 magical gardens in the grounds of children’s hospices since the charity was established in 1999.

Helen Barker works as a Travel Trade Executive for Kew Green Hotels, and has challenged herself to complete 53 runs in her 2017 charity FUNdraising year. So far, Helen has raised more than £1,000 from exhausting runs around the country and she hopes to raise her total to £1,500 by the end of her final double marathon, taking place in Manchester this weekend.

The final run of the series will take place at the Holiday Inn, Manchester City Centre on Saturday 20th January 2018 where Helen will be running a DOUBLE marathon plus one mile, making the total final run a whopping 53 miles, all completed on a treadmill situated in the hotel.

Helen will start her final mission from 02.30am on 20th January 2018 and will be running on the treadmill throughout the day. Helen said, “I will be running a steady pace for the 18 hours. I am hoping to meet many supporters who can contribute to my Greenfingers FUNdraising efforts during the day and once I finish, I am looking forward to celebrating at a Gala dinner that is being held at the newly refreshed hotel.”

You can help that total along by donating on Helen Barker’s JustGiving page (https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/helen-barker16)

All the staff of Kew Green Hotels have been raising funds for Greenfingers Charity during the last 12 months, and have so far presented a cheque for £100,000 that will help complete more gardens in 2018.

Members of the public who would like to raise valuable funds don’t have to complete marathons or jump out of planes to be effective. Kew Green Hotels will be encouraging all their staff to hold a Summer Garden Party in 2018. By opening their gardens to paying friends and family, they are also hoping that more people will learn about the charity’s work and help toward funds for a massive surge in completed gardens during the 20th anniversary of Greenfingers which will be celebrated in 2019.