A LOCAL woman is running in the London Half Marathon this spring in memory of her son, Cameron, who passed away ten years ago.

Corinne Cruickshank, 64, of St Giles Hill, is taking part in the event to raise money for the Cameron Bespolka Trust.

The trust aims to “inspire and encourage young people to love and appreciate wildlife and our environment,” as Cameron, 16, was a keen naturalist and had a love of wildlife.

It renovated of Cameron’s Cottage, which opened two and a half years ago in an RSPB nature reserve in the New Forest. It is an off-grid retreat for young people to learn about nature, and Corinne said: “staying in a working nature reserve is an excellent way to help teenagers understand first-hand the importance of how important our ecosystem is and how we can all help nature and wildlife.

“After losing Cameron, which is the most devastating thing that can happen to someone, as a family, we were looking at a way of channelling our grief, so we set up the Cameron Bespolka Trust.

“On top of that, someone told me that running is the best way of getting endorphins and feeling good. I’d never run before, going from zero to marathon.”

The London Half Marathon has been run since 2018 and is organised by Tommy’s, a charity which funds research into stillbirth, miscarriage and premature birth. The route takes runners past iconic Central London landmarks like St Paul’s Cathedral, The Shard and Big Ben. It is set to take place on April 7.

Corinne has hoped to run in this race for a long time, and she was “thrilled to get a spot. It’s such an iconic marathon. There’s such a charity feel to the race.”

She will also be running in the London Marathon on April 25, meaning she’ll be running one and a half marathons in just two weeks.

She was given a “Good For Age” spot in the London Marathon, which requires applicants of her age to achieve a sub 4:30:00 time to qualify.

You can donate to The Cameron Bespolka Trust here: cameronbespolka.com/donate