Western Daily Press (Saturday)
Mayor to take on marathon in aid of food bank
THE mayor of Weston-superMare is set to run a solo marathon around the town today to raise money for a local food bank.
So far, Westonians have donated almost £1,000 to Weston Foodbank, which Ciaran Cronnelly chose as his charity after being chosen as the town mayor.
Mr Cronnelly said: “Normally mayors will hold a ball. That’s not really my style.”
Instead, he is planning a solo marathon around the town. He said that he did not think a ball would be reasonable in the cost-of-living crisis, and tried instead to work out a run that would go through every ward in Weston-superMare. Realising it came to almost 26 miles, he decided to make it a marathon.
It has been at least a decade since Mr Cronnelly last ran a marathon, and eight years since he was a serious runner, but he said the town had been helping him get ready for the run.
He said: “The community has been incredibly helpful. I’m considerably more fit than when I set myself this challenge.”
Local sports clubs, such as Westonsuper-Mare AFC, have had the mayor come along to their training sessions. Meanwhile, neighbourhood pubs the Leading Light, the Manor (formerly the Old Manor Inn), and the Windsor Castle have offered themselves up as water stops on the route.
Mr Cronnelly, 33, has been out around the town for months, wearing a recognisable running top with the mayor’s chains printed on it, pictured top right. Although he wore the actual chains for a run once when invited along to the Marine Parade parkrun, he said: “I can’t do that again – it bruised my chest.”
His marathon route will start at the Grand Pier and take him along the seafront, through the Weston villages, into the town centre, back out to the end of Worle, around by Birnbeck Pier, and up and over Worlebury Hill to finish back at the pier.
Mr Cronnelly said the challenge was “excitingly scary” and added: “I will crawl to the end if I have to.”
He said: “Working in the charity sector, I know the value that the food bank provides. They are slammed with demand.”
You can donate by visiting https:// www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/ MayorWsM
People wanting to watch can see the mayor set off from the Grand Pier at 10.30am today, aiming to get to the Landing Light around 11.45am, the Manor at 1.30pm, the Windsor Castle at 3pm, and finish back at the Grand Pier at 3.30pm – although the times are all estimates.