London Marathon: Peterborough woman putting on running shoes to thank charity for care of friend's son who contracted meningitis as a baby

A Peterborough childminder will take on her first London Marathon this weekend, to say thank you to a charity which has supported her friend and her son over the years.

Nicki Parrott (51) was inspired to fundraise for disability charity Sense after her friend Tina Lumsden-Din, 56, explained the difference the charity makes to their lives.

Nicki has known Tina for years, as their daughters went to school together. Tina’s son Jay, 23, contracted meningitis at just five months old, and as a result has cerebral palsy, severe global developmental delay and epilepsy.

Jay benefits from going to Sense services in Hampton, which give him a routine and lots of new activities to try. Tina explained to Nicki that it was initially daunting for her to put her trust in someone else to look after Jay, as he’s non-verbal so can’t tell them if something is wrong.

However, Tina feels that Sense provides a very safe environment for Jay where he gets to develop and try new things.

Nicki, who works as a childminder, started running during lockdown when the gyms were closed. After lockdown she kept running and joined a local running group. Last year Nicki took part in the Great Eastern Run, which gave her the confidence to sign up for her first marathon, which takes place on Sunday 21 April.

Nicki credits her strong local community with helping her reach her fundraising target; she delivered leaflets to everyone living in her road with photos of Jay explaining why she is fundraising for Sense. She also ran a coffee and cake afternoon which Jay attended; he loves chocolate cake and had a great time indulging in the sweet treats.

Nicki aims to finish the London Marathon in under five hours. She will be cheered on by her husband Steve and daughter Eleanor who are travelling to watch her, as well as two friends from her running club.

She said:“I never dared to dream I’d have the chance to run the London Marathon, but I've discovered a love for running and am excited for the challenge.

“I’ve seen first-hand from my friend Tina and her son Jay how necessary Sense’s services are, and it’s an honour to be able to fundraise for them.

“Jay is such a character who has a real twinkle in his eye, and you always know when he feels pleased with something. I’m looking forward to crossing the marathon finishing line knowing I’ve achieved something great.”

Caroline Buckland, Head of Events and Fundraising at Sense, said: “We can’t wait to cheer Nicki on in London for her first marathon and we’re sure the atmosphere will be electric.

“It's lovely that Nicki was inspired to take on this challenge after seeing the work we do to support her friend’s son. The money she raises will mean we can support more children and adults with complex disabilities like Jay.”

Nicki has raised over £2,200 for disability charity Sense. You can sponsor Nicki by visiting https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Nicki-Parrott2