JAM Fund runners' marathon effort! (From Barry And District News)

JAM Fund runners' marathon effort!

8:50am Monday 22nd October 2012 in News

A 'JAM-aican' bobsleigh team were just some of those who ran the Cardiff Half Marathon to raise money for Barry-based charity the Jamie Adamson Memorial Fund (JAM Fund)!

Twenty runners represented the charity in the 13.1mile run around Cardiff last weekend (October 14).

Paul Adamson - who set up the charity with his family in 2005, in memory of his son Jamie who died aged five in 2004 - thanked the runners for taking part, and vowed to have an even bigger team next year!

"There were about 20 runners for the charity in total and I would like to thank them all," he said.

"I'm hoping that we have raised a few thousand pounds to go towards the upkeep of the charity caravan in West Wales.

"The JAM-aican bobsleigh team all came up from West Wales and slept in a camper van and had a few drinks the night before!" he added.

"They are a great bunch of guys, and their, and all the runners' continued support means a lot.

"We have had a team in every Cardiff Half Marathon since 2005 and the money we have raised has been used in a number of ways," said Paul.

"It's been used for the upkeep of the caravan to provide holidays for children in Wales and from across the UK.

"In the last five years we have also been able to provide more than £30,000 of support to the children's ward at the University Hospital of Wales, local schools, local children and those further afield in the UK.

"And we were able to help send three children to America in the last 18 months for private medical treatment, enabling each of them to walk unaided for the first time."

Paul, who has run nine half marathons and five full marathons, praised this year's course.

"Overall I think it's one of the best I have run," he said.

"It was better supported this year too, and even though I did very little training this year, I was still ten minutes faster than last year!"

He added that the charity is already looking forward to next year's event.

"We don't ask people to raise vast sums of money, as every little bit helps," he said.

"We are looking for as many runners as possible next year, so if you would like to get fit, raise money for a good cause and help children locally at the same time, please contact us."

To run for the JAM Fund next year contact Paul on 07735 612709 or email JAMFund@sky.com

* For more on the charity, visit www.jamfund.co.uk