Youngster taking on summer marathon challenge for domestic violence charity
Noah Mckeown, nine, who is running aiming to run 26.2 miles this summer for Leeway domestic abuse charity. Picture: SENT IN BY LEEWAY CHARITY - Credit: SENT IN BY LEEWAY CHARITY
It is a distance many adults find daunting.
But a nine-year-old is aiming to run 26.2 miles in aid of Leeway domestic violence and abuse services.
Noah Mckeown, from Norwich, will run the marathon distance in daily stages and plans to complete at least one mile every day during August.
The youngster has already achieved his original target of £300.
He said: 'My running is going really well. I am not going everyday but when I do I am managing two or three miles. I think I'll achieve my 26.2-mile target by the end of the holidays.
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'It's getting my dad out running too and I even got my grandad to come out with me on his bike, when I stayed at his house.
'I am really pleased with all the sponsorship I've had so far.'
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Leeway was established in 1974 and is an independent charity providing support to 9,000 adults, young people and children who are experiencing domestic abuse in Norfolk and Suffolk each year.
He was inspired to raise money for the charity after he read The Light Jar - a book about a mother and son who fled an abusive partner - with his mother.
Noah's mother, who has a blogging site mummylimited.wordpress.com, wrote: 'He announced that he'd like to raise some money for charity. Maybe it was motivated by seeing others do similar, maybe by that nice feeling we get when we do something nice.'
She added: 'We talked about how the boy in the book had to leave with virtually nothing and I told him about a local charity that runs refuges and offers support to families fleeing domestic violence.'
Noah's challenge caught the attention of the author of The Light Jar, Lisa Thompson, who has sponsored him.
Mandy Proctor, chief executive of Leeway, said: 'Everyone at Leeway is behind Noah's summer challenge and we are honoured he has chosen our charity as his cause. It is fantastic that he decided to use his summer holidays to help to raise money for those experiencing domestic abuse, many of which will be children. We would like to thank Noah for fundraising for Leeway and hope that lots of people support his summer marathon.'
To donate visit search Dan Mckeown on https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/giving/Visit www.leewaysupport.org
