A YOUNG man from Worcester is on a mission to raise money for a charity helping people like his friend and grandad who both have type 1 diabetes.

The 20-year-old Worcester man is taking part in the Bupa Great Birmingham Run to raise money for Diabetes UK as his close friend and his granddad have Type 1 diabetes.

Adam Stock, assistant manager at Cafe Nero in Malvern, took up running in January to speed up his six mile daily commute to work. He got the running bug and decided to step up the pace and train for three half marathons in Cardiff, Wimbledon and Birmingham on consecutive weekends, finishing in Birmingham on Sunday, October 19. He hopes to match the £700 he raised for Diabetes UK in May when he completed his first half marathon in Liverpool.

Mr Stock said: “I have seen the impact diabetes has on peoples’ lives. My granddad has had type 1 diabetes for as long as I can remember and then recently one of my best friends from primary school, Sophie Sheppard, was also diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. I saw a way I could harness my new found hobby of running and put it to good use to raise money for this great charity that offers hope to the 3.8 million people with diabetes, that a cure can be found.

“I started running in January this year after I crashed my vespa and broke my wrist. It was either walk the six miles from Worcester to Malvern to get to work, or speed things up a little and run. At first it was quite hard work but soon I was really enjoying it and I now run regularly, although no longer to work as I’m back on two wheels and cycle.”

People with type 1 diabetes have to manage their blood glucose levels through taking daily insulin doses. No one knows what causes the condition, but it’s not to do with being overweight and it isn’t currently preventable. Running, like other forms of physical activity, can help people with diabetes manage their condition more effectively.

Money raised from the Bupa Great Run Series will enable Diabetes UK and Bupa to raise awareness and vital funds to support the 3.8 million people in the UK living with diabetes, including delivering a series of Healthy Lifestyle Roadshows around the UK in 2014 to find those who may have the condition but have not been diagnosed.

Diabetes UK Midlands Fundraising Manager, Joy Jones, said: “If managed correctly people with diabetes can live healthy, happy lives. The money Adam raises will go a long way in helping us to continue to support people diagnosed with diabetes in Worcestershire to help them avoid some of the serious complications of the condition such as heart disease, stroke and amputation."