A GROUP of runners will be tackling the London Marathon in April for St Richard’s Hospice.

For some of the group, all from Worcestershire, the marathon will be their first, while others are more seasoned runners.

All have been affected by cancer in some way and many have experienced first hand the work the hospice does to care for patients and their families.

Ben Holmes, aged 21, from Besford, near Pershore, is running in his first London Marathon in memory of his mum, Alison, who died in 2006 and was cared for by the hospice.

Mr Holmes is training hard and hopes to raise about £3,000. The Bristol University student is training four or five days a week in preparation.

He said: “I’m looking forward to it and not giving myself a specific time goal – I just want to finish in a reasonable time as it is my first marathon.

“I’m hoping to raise as much as I can as a thank you to St Richard’s for all the fantastic help they gave us when my mum was ill and after she died.”

Sue Cosnett, aged 44, from Pershore, will be tackling her second marathon challenge when she runs in April.

Miss Cosnett, who works in Abbey Butchers at Pershore Retail Market, lost her mum to cancer three years ago. She also took up running three years ago after an injury put an end to her judo hobby.

Miss Cosnett said: “I love running and I’m looking forward to raising money.

“Training is going well and I’m really looking forward to crossing the finishing line and seeing all that hard work pay off.”

Marcus Fisher, aged 46, from Kempsey, near Worcester, is hoping to complete the marathon, 11 years after he last entered the event, following the death of both his parents and father-in-law from cancer last year.

Mr Fisher, who works for a Malvern solicitors, hopes to raise more than £1,000 for the hospice and his son’s football club, Leigh and Bransford Badgers.

He has run the London Marathon twice before but not since 2000. Mr Fisher said: “My biggest challenge is the training. I am overweight, out of condition and ought to know better.

“I’m finding it very difficult to get out into the cold and run around in circles for miles!”

Robin Mayo, aged 43, from Worcester, will be running his first marathon and hopes to raise £1,500.

Mr Mayo, a business development director, has previously raised money for the hospice with his RBS colleagues by taking part in the 31-mile Worcestershire Way Walk and the Three Peaks challenge.

Mr Mayo said: “I think my biggest challenge will be getting round the whole distance but I hope that all my training will help on the day.”

Friends and training partners Alison Atkinson and Selwyn Brough, both from Peopleton, near Pershore, are running the marathon together.

Pershore GP Dr Atkinson, also known as Alison Adcock, and retired Worcester teacher Mr Brough have both run three half-marathons in the past.

Dr Atkinson is keen to raise funds for the hospice after seeing how much her patients and their families are helped by the charity.

She said: “I see the wonderful work the team does on a daily basis.

“I have had many patients who have benefited immensely from the expertise of the community nurses and I know relatives appreciate support when caring for their loved ones through their last illness and after bereavement.”

The 48-year-old took up running three years ago and, despite running three half-marathons, has vowed to only ever run one marathon.

“I think the last six miles will be the hardest and hope the training I am putting in now and the support of the crowd will get me through,” she said.

Mr Brough, aged 59, who worked at RGS Worcester as an assistant head (pastoral) and design technology teacher, has devoted more of his time to running since retiring in 2009.

He said: “I wanted to run a marathon before I hit the big 60 next year.

“I felt that to achieve this goal I needed the motivation of a big city marathon and the chance of raising a lot of money for a charity.

“I’m really looking forward to the atmosphere the crowds generate on the day but I am particularly looking forward to crossing the finishing line and getting that medal around my neck after all the months of hard training in all weathers.”

Mr Brough has had friends, relatives and colleagues whose lives have been touched by cancer. He hopes to raise at least £2,000 through his efforts.