Buckland twins honour their grandad by running 2 miles a day for a month to help Macmillan Cancer Support and Cancer Research UK

During September, Marcie and Sammie Mayhead from Buckland chose to do something positive during these unusual times and laced up their running shoes each day for Macmillan Cancer Support and Cancer Research UK.

More than 60 miles later, the pair have brought in hundreds for the two charities, both of which mean a lot to their family after losing their grandad Bob Ruttle last year to leukaemia.

Marcie, 23, said: ‘Macmillan is a personal charity who extremely helped out our family when our grandad was diagnosed with cancer. Sadly we lost him last year but Macmillan continued to be supportive during the difficult times.

‘We chose to raise money for charity by running two miles every day in September in Portsmouth.’

Support worker Sammie, who often works 14-hour shifts, was kept motivated by her twin throughout the challenge.

Sammie said: ‘We would get up at 4.30 in the morning before I start work, we had each other’s back the whole time.

‘I personally thought I would struggle, Marcie was very motivated and helped me so much. It’s not been the best year but having that challenge and motivation helps your mind go somewhere else.

‘You’re thinking about what you’re doing it for and how we’re helping people through a great cause.’

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Family members joined the pair on some of the runs, including their uncle, brother and father, and generous donations kept rolling in to take the total to £1,307.35 to be split between the charities.

Buckland pub The Graham Arms, where their mum works, pulled in more than £300 towards the total by putting out fundraising pots.

Sammie added: ‘I can’t believe it, I was actually amazed. A lot of people have been so supportive saying our grandad would have been so proud.

‘On our final run we ran to his grave, we put flowers out for him and told him we had completed it for him.

‘It’s been a brilliant experience and I hope we’ll do it again. Get yourself out there and help charities because they’re helping everyone else and trying their best. It’s so satisfying afterwards, it’s such a good feeling to have raised all that money.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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