A Malton business woman has completed an amazing 12 marathons in 12 months – smashing her fundraising target in the process.
Bethan Pritchard, who runs the Bethan Sian beauty salon in the heart of Malton, ran the marathons across the UK this year in aid of two charities very close to her heart.
Her first six marathons raised nearly £9,000 for Tommy’s, a pregnancy charity that helps the many people that are living through the pain of dealing with losing a baby.
The next six marathons, the last of which was completed at the end of December, supported Ryedale Special Families, the Malton-based charity which helps families who have children and young adults with disabilities, illness and additional needs.
Together with a highly successful ball at York Racecourse in November, Beth raised £18,000 for Ryedale Special Families.
Bethan, 30, who also owns a beauty salon in Scarborough, is being sponsored by Sean and Sue Harrison, her good friends who run the flourishing Malton Enterprise Park in York Road.
Bethan said she was delighted to have raised so much money. “My original target for my first six marathons was to raise £7,000 for Tommy’s and, thanks to so many people’s generosity, I smashed that.
“I then succeeded in beating all my expectations for Ryedale Special Families.
“It is a very special charity, which is helping dear friends of mine Richard and Charlotte to look after their additional needs daughter Rosa.
“They are incredibly brave and Rosa is an inspiration to us all. They have motivated me to run my heart out in my marathons.”
Ryedale Special Families are currently raising money to build a £1million state-of-the-art headquarters in Pickering.
Bethan added: “They are already past halfway towards their target, but funding has been cruelly pulled by North Yorkshire County Council, which makes my fund-raising efforts even more important.”
‘A massive difference’
Lisa Keenen, chief officer of Ryedale Special Families, explained: “’We are so grateful to Beth for her amazing efforts on our behalf.
“The money she has raised will make a massive difference to our charity, as it will go towards a very important project for Ryedale Special Families, the creation of a new base for the charity.”
Bethan continued: “I have undertaken challenges for charity before, but this was my biggest yet. It has been demanding but exhilarating and I was very grateful for the generous support from Sean and Sue Harrison, which paid for all my travelling and accommodation costs across the county, and by the donations I received on my Just Giving page.
“Altogether I ran 314.4 miles across the UK, but that doesn’t include all the training, of course. My quickest time was below four hours and my favourite marathon was the London Marathon. The atmosphere was unforgettable.
“I have been tested to my limit, both physically and mentally. I put a strict regime in place, which meant making sacrifices, so my body was prepared.”
Sue Harrison explained: “We were more than happy to sponsor Bethan in her amazing charity challenge.
“Apart from the fact that she is a good friend, these are causes very close to my heart. We are delighted that our support enabled her to concentrate on the marathons themselves, rather than on any external pressures, and are so proud of how much money she has raised.”