Meet the man with 7,500 reasons to keep running
Damon Fox is attempting to run 750km in 12 weeks to help children in poverty
A runner is hoping to raise £10,000 for children in poverty by covering 750kms (466 miles) in 12 weeks.
Damon Fox is fundraising for Northampton Town Community Trust, where he works as a business development manager.
The money raised will go towards projects including funding mental well-being programmes and kit for children to use at school.
Damon told Running Tales: “I come from a bit of a broken home myself, so I’ve felt the need to support these children as I understand in some cases where they are coming from and what they have to deal with.”
There are currently 7,500 children in poverty in Northampton - a number which prompted Damon to chose the 750kms total for his challenge.
That figure equates to 16% of all children in the town currently living in poverty.
Damon, who will be running with school children who the Trust works with, said: “We do a lot of work with children.
“I’ve spent the last 15 years working in education, so making a difference in children’s lives means a lot to me.
“Every school I work with as part of Northampton Town Community Trust is going to run a mile with me, which is over 75 partner schools.”
He said the challenge, which started on March 13 and will last until June 4, is going “surprisingly well”.
“People keep reminding me how big a challenge this is,” he said.
“I have done the London Marathon [in 2017] but that was six years ago, so a routine of this much running isn’t something I’ve done for a long time.”
Damon is currently combining a series of 5km runs during the week with parkrun on Saturday and a long run on a Sunday.
He said: “When I was thinking about what fundraising activity I could do to support the community trust, it was very much centred around my background of working with children and giving them opportunities across Northamptonshire.
“Although I am an avid runner this is my biggest running challenge both mentally and physically.”
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He said any money raised would go to the education section of the community trust, which is the charity wing of Northampton Town Football Club.
It will be used as part of its budget for the 2023/24 academic year to:
Offset the costs for schools which access the trust’s Primary Stars Programme, which provides mentors to children in poverty
Pay for Educational Takeover Days in schools that sit in areas of high deprivation
Subsidise places on the trust’s holiday soccer schools programmes and transport for those who can’t get to sessions
Fund equipment or kit for children to use at school or in grassroots opportunities
“It’s about children’s physical development and their emotional well-being, promoting healthy lifestyles and producing endorphins so they can be positive and happier,” Damon added.
Northampton Town Community Trust chief executive officer, Phill Smith, said: “Child poverty is sadly on the rise and with it, this can bring additional barriers that children have to overcome if they are to realise their potential.
“One of our key outcomes as a charity is to enhance life chances and the funds Damon raises will be vital for expanding our successful mentoring interventions and initiatives which help to break down these barriers.”
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