About

Joanna and Ella run the London Marathon

On 26 April 2026 we will be hitting the streets of London to tackle the 26.2 miles of the TCS London Marathon in memory of our Dad, Clive and in support of Crossroads Care, Richmond and Kingston. 

Dad ran the London Marathon himself in 2008 in 4hrs 19 minutes - but far from making it a competition, honestly we will just be pleased to get round! Running the London marathon was just one of his many sporting achievements that has inspired us to follow in his footsteps, even though for him doing parkrun on a Saturday morning was achievement enough for anyone.

Dad always encouraged us to give everything in life a go, especially when it came to getting active! He loved the sense of community that running brought, and we know he would have been so proud of us for attempting this run. Without a doubt, he would have been the first to share his tips and do everything he could to support our training. In the short amount of time that Dad spent with his Crossroads carers, they all heard about how proud he was that we were keens runners. 

In January 2025 we lost Dad to Pulmonary Fibrosis, a rare but fatal condition which causes scar tissue to develop on the lungs. He was only 57, and should have had many more races to run. Pulmonary fibrosis worsens over time and the lung damage it causes cannot be repaired. Dad kept going for as long as he could, incredibly cycling up Mount Ventoux in the July 2024 (maybe with the help of an e-bike), however eventually he became dependent on supplementary oxygen, wheelchairs and a stairlift was fitted in the house due to the breathlessness.

In the last weeks care became increasingly demanding, and we were so grateful for the support we received from the brilliant team at Crossroads Richmond and Kingston. Having to care for someone you love is physically and emotionally exhausting, so having support from the Crossroads team was vital. 

We would love your support to further the impact of this local charity who do so much for carers in the community.

About Crossroads:

Crossroads Care Richmond and Kingston upon Thames provides high quality home and community respite services to unpaid Carers and the people they support. A registered charity, and network partner of Carers Trust, they have been caring for people of all ages and disability for over 30 years. 

Crossroads has made such a difference to many people's lives. Any donations would be massively appreciated to help them in the future!