On Sunday, MP for Eastleigh Mims Davies - a self-confessed running enthusiast - completed the gruelling 26-mile London Marathon, raising over £1000 by doing so and doubling her target of £500, which will go to the local MP’s chosen charity Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) and local charity Wessex Heartbeat.
The London Marathon - first organised in 1981 - was this year finished by a record 39,487 people, including the Eastleigh MP, who was just one of 108 people running on behalf of CRY and finished in just over five and a half hours. The local MP was also raising money for local charity Wessex Heartbeat, which helped, among many others, her former agent and their family.
Local charity Wessex Heartbeat – which was formed in 1992 – has a driving ambition to help achieve the very best care for people with heart conditions treated in the Wessex Cardiac Centre.
Mims said:
“As a keen runner – but sadly untrained - one of the ‘perks’ of being an MP was to have a chance to take part in this prestigious race around the capital, and I was absolutely delighted to raise over £1000 for these two fantastic charities, doubling my target!”
“Both of the charities that I have chosen carry out amazing work within my community of Eastleigh, and it is great to have been able to run this marathon in order to raise funds to help them continue to carry out this amazing work!”
“Through my work as the Parliamentary Private Secretary to Minister at the Department for Culture Media and Sport, Matt Hancock, I have been able to see first-hand the amazing difference that involvement in sport is having upon families right across the country.”
“Thanks to initiatives such as Park Run of which there are two locally - these being Netley and Eastleigh - and the This Girl Can campaign, running is fast becoming the most popular sport for women in the UK, which I’m delighted about. I absolutely loved every minute of this year’s marathon, and, if given the opportunity, I’d be back out doing it again tomorrow!”
Dr Steven Cox, Chief Executive of the charity, Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) said:
"Mims has been a loyal supporter of CRY for some time - first introduced to us through a local Eastleigh family (Graham and Anne Hunter) who have worked tirelessly to raise funds and awareness since the sudden and tragic death of their daughter Claire in 2013, aged just 22.
"Mims has previously spoken at our annual Parliamentary Reception and does so much to help raise the profile of CRY's work - not least, by taking part in the Virgin Money London Marathon on Sunday as part of our 107-team of CRY runners!
"As with all our supporters who literally go the extra mile for CRY, I would like to offer my heartfelt thanks to Mims for her outstanding efforts in the 2017 Virgin Money London Marathon and for playing such an important part in our ongoing campaign to prevent young sudden cardiac deaths."
Young sudden cardiac death is one of the most common causes of death in young people. As a charity CRY aim to reduce the number of young sudden deaths in the UK (currently at least 600 every year) as well as help thousands of people each year who are affected by the tragedy of a young sudden cardiac death in their family.