Two One Stop colleagues completed the London Marathon on 27 April, raising more than £24,000 for Young Lives vs Cancer.

Debbie Lovelock, a store manager at the Oundle Road, Thrapston One Stop, and Chris Wilby, a driver from its distribution centre, jointly raised £24,045 for the charity.

Young Lives vs Cancer aims to support young cancer patients and their families throughout their cancer journey, and has been one of One Stop’s charity partners since 2022.

Wilby said he felt “nervous” and excited running the marathon and hailed the “unbelievable support” that encouraged him during the run.

He added: “I would like to thank everyone for their kind words of encouragement and donations for Young Lives vs Cancer, as well as the charity for giving me the opportunity to be able to challenge myself and raise money for an incredible purpose.”

Nilesh Patel, partnerships fundraiser at Young Lives vs Cancer, added: “We cannot thank Chris and Debbie enough for their amazing efforts and taking on the challenge of a lifetime for Young Lives vs Cancer. A marathon is a journey and both of them have shown the resilience needed to complete one.

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“For every step they took and pound they raised alongside family, friends and colleagues, they have helped to fund the vital work Young Lives vs Cancer provides for children and young people facing cancer and their families across the UK.”

Support also came from One Stop head office colleagues and staff at the Brownhills distribution centre, who helped contribute to the total by holding a tombola.

Jack Taylor, community and partnerships manager at One Stop, added: “We are so grateful and proud of our colleagues who ran this year’s London Marathon. It was a tough day for all, but with their incredible perseverance, they both passed the finish line in honour of raising money for such an important cause.”

Retailers rally for charities

Several other figures from the retail sector also took part in the marathon, raising money for their chosen charities.

Julian Taylor-Green, who runs a Spar in Western Downs, Stafford, raised nearly £4,000 for Marie Curie, the charity that provides end-of-life care, after completing his second successive marathon.

Stuart Austin, of Cumbernauld Road, Thornaby, Stockton-on-Tees, also completed the marathon, raising £835 for the NSPCC.

Amrit Singh, of H & Jode’s Nisa in Walsall, completed the marathon, raising over £5,300 for the Stroke Association.

On completing the marathon, Singh said via LinkedIn: “It was tough. It was humbling. But it was also one of the most meaningful experiences of my life.

“Thanks to incredible support from so many of you, we raised over £5,300 — a number I’m deeply proud of.”

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