Age UK

Gareth's page

Gareth Hopkins

Gareth Hopkins

My Story

Running the marathon. 

My nan had Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia for 6 years and we saw how it affected her. I also got to watch how it affected my mum and dad and the rest of my family. 
She was a very lively independent lady who went on holidays with my mum, she raised money for horse and donkey charities and was very young at heart. She had no illnesses until Alzheimer’s. She lived for her family and took us on trips to Disneyland Florida, Lapland and Kenya to name a few. She loved her family and would do anything for us. Unfortunately due to the disease she became house bound and her shell of herself.
she passed away in her sleep at home. She was the centre of our family and was a huge loss to us all. 

I have Worked for 20 years as a paramedic for the East of England ambulance service. The majority of my work has been to help the elderly population. 
I see on a daily basis the help the elderly require from the NHS and from their families, ranging from falls, infections or social input. 
unfortunately not all elderly have the support of families or know anyone that can help for even the most simple things. 

Luckily my family and nan had mine and my wife's experiences and knowledge to help them and still they struggled. I want to be able to help in more ways than just responding to them in acute situations. 

My brother run for age uk this year and that inspired me watching him. He is not a runner and still managed to complete the marathon. 

I want to do any small part to help the elderly in the memory of my Nan. So I have decided to run the marathon for Age uk who help the elderly live their best possible lives. 

This will be a challenge for me personally as I don't do any exercise but I'm determined to get fit and run the marathon. 

Thankyou for reading 
Gareth 

The London Marathon has become an annual, inspiring and colourful fixture in the world’s sporting calendar since the inaugural race on 29 March 1981: a celebration of fun, fundraising and fancy dress.

Over the years more than a million people have completed the 26.2-mile course – which runs from Blackheath to The Mall, with a spectacular finish in front of Buckingham Palace, showcasing the very best that the capital city has to offer.

What’s more, these participants have raised over a billion pounds for charity and there have been countless amazing tales of human achievement throughout the event’s history – living up to its aim of helping participants ‘to have fun, and provide some happiness and sense of achievement in a troubled world’.

Age UK

Raising for:

Age UK
106%

Funded

  • Target
    £2,900
  • Raised so far
    £3,075
  • Number of donors
    108

My Story

Running the marathon. 

My nan had Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia for 6 years and we saw how it affected her. I also got to watch how it affected my mum and dad and the rest of my family. 
She was a very lively independent lady who went on holidays with my mum, she raised money for horse and donkey charities and was very young at heart. She had no illnesses until Alzheimer’s. She lived for her family and took us on trips to Disneyland Florida, Lapland and Kenya to name a few. She loved her family and would do anything for us. Unfortunately due to the disease she became house bound and her shell of herself.
she passed away in her sleep at home. She was the centre of our family and was a huge loss to us all. 

I have Worked for 20 years as a paramedic for the East of England ambulance service. The majority of my work has been to help the elderly population. 
I see on a daily basis the help the elderly require from the NHS and from their families, ranging from falls, infections or social input. 
unfortunately not all elderly have the support of families or know anyone that can help for even the most simple things. 

Luckily my family and nan had mine and my wife's experiences and knowledge to help them and still they struggled. I want to be able to help in more ways than just responding to them in acute situations. 

My brother run for age uk this year and that inspired me watching him. He is not a runner and still managed to complete the marathon. 

I want to do any small part to help the elderly in the memory of my Nan. So I have decided to run the marathon for Age uk who help the elderly live their best possible lives. 

This will be a challenge for me personally as I don't do any exercise but I'm determined to get fit and run the marathon. 

Thankyou for reading 
Gareth 

The London Marathon has become an annual, inspiring and colourful fixture in the world’s sporting calendar since the inaugural race on 29 March 1981: a celebration of fun, fundraising and fancy dress.

Over the years more than a million people have completed the 26.2-mile course – which runs from Blackheath to The Mall, with a spectacular finish in front of Buckingham Palace, showcasing the very best that the capital city has to offer.

What’s more, these participants have raised over a billion pounds for charity and there have been countless amazing tales of human achievement throughout the event’s history – living up to its aim of helping participants ‘to have fun, and provide some happiness and sense of achievement in a troubled world’.