NORTH WALSHAM OPTICIAN TAKES ON MARATHON CHALLENGE TO RAISE MONEY FOR NORFOLK’S SIGHT LOSS CHARITY
A North Walsham optician is to tackle his first ever marathon at the age of 36 – having lost six stone since he took up running just three years ago.
Richard Morris, director at the town’s branch of Specsavers, will be joining 25,000 other participants in the Manchester Marathon in April, raising money for Norfolk’s own sight loss charity, Vision Norfolk (formerly known as the Norfolk & Norwich Association for the Blind).
Mr Morris decided to start running to shed the weight after he tipped the scales at 20 stone in 2017. In just three years he has graduated from the Couch To 5K programme to taking on running’s ultimate challenge.
He is now halfway through a 16 week training programme which will culminate when he lines up for the start of the Marathon at Manchester United’s Old Trafford ground on 5th April.
“I never thought I would do a marathon, and I still think I’m nuts,” said Mr Morris, who has been director of the North Walsham Specsavers since it opened in 2018. “I took up running because I wanted to be slimmer and healthier – now I am doing it to raise money for an amazing local charity.
“A school friend of mine has a young daughter who suffers from Aniridia, and the family has received such amazing support from Vision Norfolk. So when I knew I was going to run this marathon, I had no doubt who I wanted to raise money for.”
Clive Evans, development director at Vision Norfolk, said, “It is so lovely to see one of our county’s opticians going through the pain barrier to support the work Vision Norfolk does. We are so grateful to Richard, and hope that the people of North Walsham will get right behind his fundraising effort.”
Anyone who wants to support Mr Morris’s marathon fundraising efforts can do so by donating online at https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/RichardMorris69. In addition, all donations received for spectacle repairs at the North Walsham Specsavers until the end of April will also be donated to the total.