Why Run For Shelter?
Running a marathon or half marathon for many people is a life changing experience but while you are running you could also help change the lives of the 1,000,000 homeless and badly housed children around the UK.
Susan and her two young children, Amy and Oliver, were forced to leave their home last year due to domestic violence. In desperation they fled to a refuge, where they shared a bed in a tiny room. The kitchen was so filthy that six-year-old Amy cut herself on razor blades left in the sink.
Being homeless was devastating for Amy. Terrified of the people who stayed at the refuge, she couldn’t understand why she didn’t have a proper home like her friends at school. As she became more confused and upset, her schoolwork suffered. Susan could only watch as her happy, intelligent, little girl became more and more withdrawn.
After six weeks they were finally moved from the refuge to a small Bed & Breakfast, but they had barely unpacked when they were moved again to a run-down block. As you can imagine, the children were incredibly unsettled by all of these changes – they felt unsafe and as if they didn’t belong anywhere. All of the rooms were damp, cold and lonely, with no carpet and little furniture.
In desperation, Susan turned to Shelter to help find her and her children a new home to grow up in. Shelter was able to find them somewhere relatively quickly and I’m pleased to say they have now settled into and are enjoying living in their new home.
Please join the Shelter Running Team and run for children like Amy & Oliver.
From training to celebration, we'll be behind you all the way to make sure you have a great race.
Bad housing wrecks lives
For more information call the Running Team on 0844 515 1190
Email: marathon@shelter.org.uk
Or visit: www.shelter.org.uk/marathon
