Woman takes on London Marathon to support victims of domestic violence
A woman dedicated to supporting domestic violence victims in her community will take on the London Marathon to raise funds for her chosen charity.
Alison May, 39, from Beckenham, has watched others take part in the iconic race over the years and was keen to complete it herself before her 40th birthday in June.
She said: “Before this, the last time I ran was at university, about 18 years ago.
“But I wanted a physical challenge and, as this feels like a milestone year, I thought now was the time to do it.
“I also find that running is really good for working through thoughts and challenges.”
For 26.2 miles, Ms May will pound the pavement on Sunday in aid of domestic violence charity Refuge.
As assistant director of skills and employment in Lambeth council, Ms May regularly works with referrals from Refuge’s Gaia Centre, which supports Lambeth residents who are survivors of gender-based violence and abuse.
Having already raised £2,000 for the charity, she said: “We work with the Gaia Centre when there are referrals for women needing adult education or employment support related to their circumstances.
“That’s where my motivation to run for Refuge came from.”
To help her prepare, and to make the challenge feel a little less daunting, Ms May joined Dulwich Park Runners on a beginner course.
She now volunteers to support the club’s newest members.
She said: “Some are working up to a 5km while others are just taking their first steps – we pair up and chat as we run to support them. I’ve partnered with women who’ve taken up running for all sorts of reasons.
“There are multiple challenges with running a marathon – it’s really far, it’s exhausting and it definitely takes a toll on your life. You’re constantly asking yourself: how do I fit this in?
“But I often wear my Refuge T-shirt while training, and women will come up to me and offer donations – that gives me such a strong sense of responsibility and spurs me on.
“I’m looking forward to getting out there, raising money for a great cause, soaking up the atmosphere and crossing that finish line.
“I’ll be pushing myself to do something really positive – hopefully for others, but also for myself – and raising awareness about domestic abuse, which is so important.”
More than one in four women in England and Wales experiences domestic abuse at some point in their lifetime, and on average every five days a woman is killed by a current or former partner, according to Refuge.
The charity supports thousands of survivors on any given day, with someone looking to the service for help every two minutes.
Hannah Gripton, community and events manager at Refuge, said: “We’re so grateful to Alison for taking on this huge challenge for us, the money she raises will be vital.
“As it stands, her fundraising could provide 80 emergency parcels containing essentials such as toiletries, nappies, food and clothing for women and their children arriving at our refuges.
“We wish Alison the very best of luck and look forward to cheering her across the finish line on race day.”
To support Ms May’s fundraising efforts, search ‘Alison May London Marathon’ on www.justgiving.com.
Refuge’s National Domestic Abuse Helpline is available on 0808 2000 247, 24 hours a day 7 days a week for free, confidential specialist support. Refuge also offers a live chat service, which is available 10am-10pm, Monday to Friday. For further information and advice visit our website https://www.nationaldahelpline.org.uk/ For support with tech-facilitated abuse visit https://refugetechsafety.org
Pictured top: Alison May, 39, from Beckenham will be running the London Marathon to raise money for domestic violence charity Refuge (Picture: Alison May)
