|  |  |  | | | | Pint of beer pulls marathon first for cancer charity | | | | |
| |  The Marathon Pint
Release Date: 7 March 2008
For the first time in history, a pint of beer is set to run the Flora London Marathon on 13 April for leading UK blood cancer charity Leukaemia Research. ‘Marathon Pint,’ the pint from Oxfordshire brewery Hook Norton, has even created a Bridget Jones style online diary to chart his progress, a Facebook group and a Justgiving page to collect sponsorship funds.
‘Marathon Pint’ and his pair of legs Gill Begnor are aiming to raise £4,000 for Leukaemia Research. Celebrity supporters of ‘Marathon Pint’ include comedian Dave Spikey, survival expert Bear Grylls and Sir Ian Botham, President of Leukaemia Research, who says: "Good luck. I’ve drunk many a pint but never seen one run a marathon before! Your continued support of Leukaemia Research is fantastic."
"I decided that I wanted to do something different with my life and a marathon seemed the obvious choice," explains ‘Marathon Pint’, who has a fruity aroma and a light taste. "All I needed was a pair of legs. When Gill came in to the village shop one day, I saw that she had two and seemed to like beer so I went home with her."
Gill, who lives in Hook Norton village, became a supporter of Leukaemia Research through the influence of the local-based Hook Norton Brewery. Managing Director James Clarke lost his sister Victoria to leukaemia in 1986. This inspired the Clarke family and the Hook Norton village to spend over 20 years supporting the charity, raising over £150,000 so far. In his message of support for ‘Marathon Pint’, James Clarke says: "From all at Hook Norton Brewery who have been involved in your conception, we would like to say how proud we are that you are undertaking this massive challenge."
As well as having friends cheering him on, ‘Marathon Pint’ will be running in good company as he passes by some of London’s most famous landmarks. As a member of Leukaemia Research’s Banana Army running team sponsored by TVTimes and Asics, he will be running with a variety of TV celebrities such as Emmerdale’s Tony Audenshaw and Chris Chittell. Since 1982, well-known faces from the world of TV and film have completed in triathlons and runs to raise millions of pounds in support of Leukaemia Research’s vital work.
To read ‘Marathon Pint’’s adventures, visit his website and to sponsor ‘Marathon Pint’ and Gill, visit their Justgiving page.
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