Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Neil will be a running machine for hospice
Airdrie MP Neil Gray is pulling on his running shoes every day this month in a challenge to raise money for St Andrew’s Hospice.
A keen runner, the Westminster parliamentarian is aiming to complete at least 5k each day in January to raise funds for the facility in his constituency.
The MP ran the London Marathon in aid of the hospice two years ago and despite not having run seriously since then, he was motivated to get his trainers back on to support the hospice.
The daily runs will also help get him fit for the upcoming Scottish parliamentary elections, with the politician looking to make the switch from Westminster to Holyrood; Neil is hoping to follow fellow SNP party member Alex Neil by becoming Airdrie’s MSP.
A former 400m runner, his aim is to get his Holyrood campaign off to a good start by completing the running challenge in aid of the hospice and improving his fitness levels.
By the end of the challenge he should have completed at least 155km – close to four marathons.
He said: “For me, a new year is always about setting new challenges, so to complete a 5km run every day for 31 days is just the type of thing I relish.
“I knew I needed to get in better shape for the Holyrood campaign, so I thought why not do another running challenge for the hospice at the same time?
“Donations for most charities have been hit hard over the past year but the work they do does not stop and St Andrew’s is such a huge part of the local area; I know it could really do with the help.
“I have set up a Justgiving page for folk to make donations, if they feel they are able, and I am posting updates of my daily exploits to my Facebook page so people can make sure I keep it up for the whole month.”
Anyone who would like to donate to Neil’s campaign can do so at justgiving.com/ fundraising/neil-graymp