Matt Brookes, a Team Manager, and Molly Owens, a Childline Practitioner, dedicate their working lives to ensuring the service’s counsellors can support vulnerable young people, many whom maybe experiencing anxiety, loneliness, trauma or abuse.
Matt and Molly have been training for over three months while also juggling their work and life commitments and say they are both determined to raise essential funds for Childline.
Matt lives in Birmingham with his wife and young baby. Despite being an experienced runner with three marathons under his belt (Birmingham, London, and Edinburgh), Matt considers April’s Paris Marathon to be his greatest running challenge yet.
Matt, (38), said: “Training is quite different this time around, mainly because I now have a 10-month-old baby at home. Setting a challenge like this for myself is always a big decision, you know it is going to be tough, and there is a huge time commitment before you get to the starting line.
“An event like this, where people can show their support for the NSPCC in many different ways, is always a really good thing to do.”
Molly joined the Childline team in April 2024 and has now set her sights on running as her next life goal. She signed-up for the marathon after a chat with Matt where she spoke about Paris being her favourite city. This will be Molly’s first marathon experience.
Molly (28), said: “Training is hard and it basically becomes your whole lifestyle. Being able to support a charity that is so close to my heart and seeing the hard work and dedication that our staff and volunteers have at Childline is all the motivation that I need.
“Going for runs down quiet country lanes when the sun is shining is what I love the most. It allows me to be completely free, singing out loud, and dancing as I am running. It is the little things like this, and my jelly babies, that keep me going.”
Amanda Synnott, the NSPCC Community Fundraising Manager for the West Midlands, said: “Matt and Molly are our dynamic duo at the Birmingham Childline office and their determination to complete the Paris Marathon is really exciting for everyone at the NSPCC team.
“Crucially, their training and participation is a means to raise awareness of the important work done at Childline, our service for children receives a contact every 45 seconds. The money raised will change so many young lives in Birmingham and the West Midlands. So, please do lend Molly and Matt your support.”
To support Matt and Molly visit: https://bit.ly/4gQ0Zx4 and https://bit.ly/4hJc0l7
For more information about how you can volunteer for the NSPCC team in the Midlands, please email: volunteerrecruitment@nspcc.org.uk