The countdown is on for staff at Oswestry’s specialist orthopaedic hospital who are running the London Marathon later this year, in aid of the hospital’s charity fund.

This year, the hospital has 11 staff runners signed up for the annual 26-mile race around the capital.

Consultant Rheumatologist Dr Roshan Amarasena; Nurse Specialist Nicky Dury; Recovery Nurse Catherine Roberts; Lead Nurse for the Covid-19 Vaccination Centre Rebecca Warren; and Spinal Injuries Nurse Catherine Roberts are five of the staff taking on the challenge this Autumn.

Joining The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital staff members will be sixteen members of the local community who have all pledged to raise a minimum of £1,500 for the RJAH Charity to support the funding of state-of-the-art equipment and facilities.

Rebecca and Spinal Injuries Nurse Catherine are teaming up to raise the much-needed funds together.

Catherine said: “This will be an enormous challenge for us both as we do not run regularly so lots of training required. Any support however big or small would be hugely appreciated by both of us.”

Rebecca added: “I am running for the is charity because I have seen the benefits that it brings to our patients and have often relied on them to enable patient experience to be outstanding.

“This is a huge challenge for me, it’s really requiring a lot of discipline and effort more than I could ever imagine. My two priorities are to reach the end of the 26 miles and to try to support and encourage those running around me on the day.”

Nicky Drury who works in Theatres at the Oswestry-based hospital is running in memory of her nan.

Nicky said: “I’m running it in memory of my beautiful nan that passed away on the day of the marathon in 2021. It will be by far the biggest challenge I have ever faced, but training is going well, and I am determined to do it.”

Recovery Nurse Catherine Roberts is also running in memory of someone, her father. She has entered the marathon under her maiden name Gleave in his memory.

Catherine said: “You would find it difficult to find someone who hasn’t been helped or known someone who has received care from this incredible hospital.

“I know this is going to be a really tough challenge, so I am running in memory of my dad. When it gets hard, I will look at the name on my vest, I won’t give up and I will make it to the end.”

Victoria Sugden, Charity Director, said: “The London Marathon is the biggest fundraiser on the calendar and all runners play a massive part in enabling us to provide the best possible support to patients and staff at RJAH.”

Money raised by our runners will be used to support research and develop new treatments, provide state of the art equipment and facilities and extra comfort to our patients.

The full list of staff running the London Marathon, in aid of the RJAH Charity, is below, as well as the links to donate to any of their fundraising:

Pictured [from left – right]: Catherine Roberts, Dr Roshan Amarasena, Rebecca Warren, Catherine Roberts and Nicky Drury, who are all running the London Marathon later this year in aid of the RJAH Charity.