02 May Will Clark fundraising for Sue Ryder
MiCiM, which is headquartered in Reading, asked its 80 staff to vote for a designated charity of the year and Sue Ryder, which runs Sue Ryder Duchess of Kent Hospice in Reading and Sue Ryder Palliative Care Hub South Oxfordshire, received the highest number of votes.Over the next year, our team plan to organise a number of fundraising activities and challenges to raise as much money as possible for Sue Ryder’s expert palliative care bereavement support.
49-year-old Will Clark, a Development Executive at MiCiM, is kicking-off the fundraising by taking on a solo Ironman challenge in The Netherlands this June.
“Last year I did my first-ever Ironman in France, but prior to that I had never done anything like this before,” he explains. “I went from doing nothing to taking on an Ironman in a year, which I think proves that people can achieve anything if they really put their mind to it!
“It takes about six months to prepare and over that time you gradually build up your capacity to swim, cycle and run. You have to dedicate a lot of time to training around normal life, which can often be a challenge. I haven’t gone as far as practising the open water swimming in the ice-cold North Sea though and have stuck to the pool!”
Will has signed up for the 70.3 version of the Ironman, which starts with a 1.2-mile open water swim, followed by a 56-mile cycle and then a 30.1-mile run.
“Running is usually the bit I quite enjoy,” says Will. “However, when I did my last Ironman I hadn’t factored in physically moving constantly for six hours so when I got to the run it was pretty painful!
“This time I hope it will be better as I know what I’m doing and I’m hoping that I can complete it in six hours. It’s in an old port area with cobbled streets which provides some good scenery to look at, and it’s flatter than the last Ironman I did so I’m sure I will be grateful for that!”
Will shares that health is a big driver for taking on these physically demanding challenges.
“Sometimes in life you get yourself into situations where you realise that you’ve got to make some lifestyle changes rather than just taking the easy road all the time.
“I’ve got a nine-year-old daughter so it is important that I keep healthy for as long as I can. You’re only here once so it’s important to give yourself a fighting chance when you’re older.”
Will hopes to raise as much money as possible for the care that Sue Ryder provides for people living with life-limiting conditions.
“It’s such a good feeling to know that I will be doing this to help people going through really difficult times and need Sue Ryder’s specialist care and support – it will really spur me on along the way.
“All my colleagues at MiCiM have been really generous in supporting me and I would be really grateful for any donations – however big or small – for this fantastic cause.”
Jenn Patient, Senior Community Fundraiser for Sue Ryder in the Thames Valley, said: “As a charity, we’re reliant on individuals and businesses generously donating and fundraising for us, so we can continue to be there when it matters. We’re delighted that MiCiM has chosen to support us as their charity of the year and we’re all wishing Will the very best of luck in his Ironman challenge in a few months’ time.”
To donate to Will’s fundraising page, click here
