Marathon efforts help Down's group

Callum Brett and Lane Stow and Jenny Brett, left, receive the donation from Gail and Matt Light

A Swindon marathon runner has helped the Swindon Down's Syndrome Group with £1,000 after noticing a story about the group's fashion show in the April Swindon Link Magazine.

Matt Light, from Rushey Platt, raised £1,500 to enter the London marathon as part of the national Down's Syndrome Association team, but decided to donate any excess to the local branch. He was pictured in the June Link sporting a bald head, stencilled with one of his sponsors, the Cricklade Road Barber Shop

What Matt did not notice in the April edition was that group coordinator Jenny Brett from Freshbrook was also running the marathon and raised £1,000 which was split between the Down's group and Dihlabeng School in South Africa.

Not knowing one another, they did not meet amongst the tens of thousands of runners. But both admitted to struggling with the damp conditions to complete the course.

Jenny said the group was very pleased with Matt and Gail Light's generosity. "We have to raise £36,000 annually to keep the charity going. We spend £16,000 on speech therapy for the children and the number of families needing our support is rising."

The Swindon Down's Syndrome Group is in its twenty-first year and would welcome any help with fundraising. For details contact Jenny on 344615 or mail: jenny@rockuk.net