Real charity

I take issue with Lorraine Fisher’s opinion of charity fundraisers (Mail). I have run several marathons, ultramarathons and tough events in aid of charities, mostly for the Royal British Legion, as I live in a garrison town.

I ran the 69-mile Hadrian’s Wall race at the age of 60. I’ve been involved with welfare as a trained caseworker. My husband was chairman of the British Legion for several years, so we saw first-hand where the need was.

We provide welfare for clients ranging from service families’ children to people in their 90s. Injured service personnel who are currently coping well will one day be in their 70s and 80s.

the Legion never goes off-duty — it will be there for them, so I resent the suggestion that charity fundraisers enjoy a free beano from other people’s donations.

My disabled husband and I are not wealthy enough to send fat cheques to our charities of choice, so I thought I could make a difference by running.

I’ve never applied for a charity place, but have paid my own entry fees and associated costs. the online ‘golden bond’ charities do provide free entry and other benefits for a participant, but if the rather steep sponsorship sum is not raised, the runner must make up the difference.

My husband and I sleep in a tent or in the car during an event and have never been offered freebies. all the fundraisers I know operate similarly: we would not dream of appropriating money from donations. JUDITH WILSON, Warminster, Wilts.