ACTION HOMELESS - Aspire Magazine

Runner’s Guide
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Stacey and Emily
in training
Run, Run, Run
Running is an excellent form of exercise. Not only does running improve your fitness and aid
with weight loss, it also improves your strength, stamina and speed. In fact recent research
has discovered running is good for every part of our body; runners eyes’ are less likely to
deteriorate with age, running dramatically benefits heart health and according to the Journal
of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, inactive people are 60% more likely to develop
dementia, proof that running is good for mind and body.
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If you’d like to use your new found hobby to help people, there are numerous fun runs and
marathons that you can enter throughout the year that can raise much needed funds.
One woman who has decided she wants to run for a worthy cause is Aspire’s Sales Manager,
Emily Davison. Emily will be running the Leicester Half Marathon (13.3 miles) in October, in
aid of NYSA. She said: “I’m running to raise money for NYSA’s trip to perform at the concert,
organised and held by the William Walton Trust. I started my training in January with a
weekly three-mile walk, which I recently replaced with a two-mile interval training journey,
alternating one-minute running and then one-minute walking twice a week. This was hard
to begin with but it’s getting easier and I hope to increase this to a three-mile run/walk by
the end of March. I’ve been training with friend and colleague, Stacey Wragg, who is running
the Leicester Half Marathon in aid of Action Homeless.
As I’ve been training, I’ve had to increase my carbohydrate intake, and have replaced my
elevenses biscuit and my afternoon snack with fruit. I’ve also been listening to upbeat music
during my training to keep me motivated and Stacey and I have been setting ourselves
time targets, which are steadily improving. When the time comes to run the Leicester Half
Marathon, Stacey and I hope to be able to walk/run 14 miles with relative ease in under three
hours, however, I’ll just be happy to complete the course and raise some cash for NYSA.”
If you’ve been inspired by Emily and Stacey and would like to run the Leicester Half
Marathon, please visit www.leicestermarathon.org.uk
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Dedicated to transforming the lives of the county’s
homeless, Action Homeless strive to give hundreds of
individuals the chance for change and the Leicesterbased
charity are banking on your support to help
them deliver vital services throughout 2011.
Having taken the charity and the important work they
do to heart, Aspire Trainee Sales Manager, Stacey
Wragg, has signed up for the Leicester Half Marathon
in aid of Action Homeless.
Stacey says: “In order to provide emergency beds
for those who find themselves suddenly homeless,
Action Homeless are currently aiming to raise around
£10,000 – this is on top of all the other services they
provide. I am keen to support the charity and am
more than happy to do my bit to help, which is why
I’ve pledged to run the Leicester Half Marathon for
the cause. Alongside training for this tough event, I
am also taking part in Not The Big Snooze on Friday
25th March and will be sleeping out under the stars
to better understand the realities faced by homeless
people.”
Senior Fundraiser, Jonathan Cryer, says: “We are
really pleased with Stacey’s commitment and Aspire
magazine’s support because we aim for homeless
people to achieve their aspirations. You can sponsor
Stacey on her challenges and ensure she raises tons
of cash to help very vulnerable people.”
Stacey adds: “Many people don’t understand
the harsh realities that homeless people face or
that homelessness continues to be a major social
problem in our area, so I think it’s important to raise
awareness of this issue and I’m certainly proud to be
able to do my bit.”
Set up by a group of local clergymen in 1973, with
the support of Leicester City Council, Action Homeless
originally offered accommodation to 16 homeless
men. Whilst its founding spirit remains the same it
continues to grow and evolve, and now provides
supported accommodation in a safe and welcoming
environment and resettlement services to people from
all social backgrounds.
Chief Executive, Rob Parkinson, says: “The charity’s
main aim is to tackle the causes and consequences
of homelessness in Leicester and Leicestershire,
and every year we provide housing and support for
over 300 people across the county. The majority of
people who come to us are rough sleepers or victims
of domestic breakdown. They come to us to work
through their problems and we help them build a new
life they can be proud of.”
Action Homeless is always in need of volunteers to
help raise awareness of the charity and to help out at
their resettlement centre, as Rob explains: “Volunteers
make a massive difference to the services we are able
to deliver and we are always looking for individuals
who want to be involved in promoting the charity and
fundraising. Whatever you can spare, we would love
to hear from you.”
If you’re feeling inspired and would like to show your
support, sign up for Not The Big Snooze. Raising
much needed cash for the organisation, this special
event will be challenging volunteers to spend ten
hours outside, from 8pm to 6am, to better understand
and sympathise with those who sleep rough. Taking
place on Friday 25th March at Leicestershire County
Cricket Ground, Action Homeless are encouraging
everyone to sign up and take part.
From supported accommodation to resettlement
programmes, the charity works hard to deliver
services that really matter to people with no home
of their own. Recognising the vital work of Action
Homeless and their ongoing need for donations and
support, Aspire recently selected the organisation for
our Certificate of Recognition for Charity of the
Year 2011.
Action Homeless are aiming to attract at least 100
participants to Not The Big Snooze, so if you and your
friends, family or colleagues want to help make a
difference sign up today by visiting
www.actionhomeless.org.uk
To lend your support or to make a
donation, contact the team directly on
0116 221 1878 or email
jonathancryer@actionhomeless.org.uk
Registered charity no. 702230
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