Derek is banking on success in the Brighton Marathon
A Bank of Scotland Corporate Real Estate manager is looking to deposit some much needed sponsorship money in the coffers of a national charity when he takes part in the first ever Brighton Marathon in aid of Deafness Research UK.
Derek Hunter has always wanted to run a Marathon, and when not working in London spends a great deal of time in Brighton, so when he heard about the city’s first ever Marathon, he decided it was the prompt he needed to undertake his first run, while raising money for a worthwhile cause.
“Brighton is a place I love and I spend weekends there every summer, so I wanted to be a part of the first ever Brighton Marathon,” explained 28 year old Derek. “I have worn hearing aids since I was four, so I thought this was an ideal opportunity to raise money for Deafness Research UK. Hearing Loss runs in my family, so it means a lot to me personally to help the charity in all that they do.”
“I think Deafness Research UK is a very important charity,” continued Derek, “It has always given the highest priority to work which could potentially lead to gene and drug therapy targeted at regenerating hair cells – which is a potential cure for deafness. From my own perspective, the charity continues to support better fitting procedures for digital hearing aids. I am hoping to play my part in promoting the charity as it gets the message across about just how much impact these frustrating disabilities can have on your life.”
The Brighton Marathon will take place on Sunday 18th April and the route allows runners to take in much of Brighton and Hove with glorious coastal views giving everyone taking part a unique experience. Derek is looking to raise at least £1,000 for Deafness Research UK and anyone looking to sponsor Derek’s efforts can do so by visiting his just giving page at www.justgiving.com/Derek-Hunter. Derek’s employer the Bank of Scotland will be matching whatever he makes up to £500, so he is hoping for a minimum of £2,000 for Deafness Research UK.
So for a first run in the first ever Brighton Marathon, does Derek have a target time as well as a target value? “Seeing the finish line is what is important to me!” joked Derek. “Seriously though, a friend of mine ran the London Marathon last year and said it’s an incredible achievement just to finish, but I am hoping for a time between 4.5 and 5 hours.”
