Whilst the countdown to Christmas usually involves shopping for an extensive gift list and gorging on substantial amounts of food, a Kirkcudbright resident has set herself an entirely different focus this festive season.
Vivienne Bradley (41) has taken on a ‘marcothon’ whereby she must run every single day through December to raise essential funds desperately needed to help crisis victims at home and abroad. Funds raised through her sponsorship will be donated to Dumfries organisation ‘Massive Outpouring of Love’ (MOOL) supporting flood victims in Cumbria as well as homeless families stuck in the port of Calais.
Vivienne is no stranger to undertaking tough challenges such as her recent completion of Edinburgh’s Spartan Race, battling in Sealed Knot re-enactments and clinching team victories in roller derby for Dumfries based Doonhame Derby Dolls. By committing to a marcathon she must now run for 25 minutes every day through challenging winter weather and in the dark after work.
Vivienne, said;
“I decided to run a ‘Marcothon’ to help raise funds for crisis victims at home and abroad by providing urgent supplies of everyday items. Most people want to help others in some way and this is just my own small way of doing so.
“I know a lot of people who would like to give their time to help and can’t, but are happy to sponsor these kinds of activities. The monies go to MOOL who then provide supplies to people in both Cumbria and Calais.”
On the 27th December Vivienne will join two others to self-fund towing a caravan, nicknamed ‘The Kirkcudbright Centipede’ from ‘the Artists’ Town to the Port of Calais, where it will be gifted to just one of thousands of refugee families requiring urgent shelter this winter. Donations for this trip are welcomed and will go toward buying supplies in Calais once the group arrive so as not to overload vehicles during transit.
Scottish aid agency, Jungle Canopy, are helping to kit out the caravan with essential items and will also provide support to the Kirkcudbright group who will spend a week volunteering over New Year in the refugee camp, home to 7000 homeless families and nicknamed ‘The Jungle’.
The caravan has been kindly donated by another Kirkcudbright resident and is being decorated inside with pictures and messages of hope and goodwill created by local children.
If anyone would like to support Vivienne with her challenge please contact her directly on 07732 394 092 or message her via facebook. Sponsor sheets are also available in many Kirkcudbright locations.
