Tourism champion hangs up running shoes

YORKSHIRE’S tourism champion Gary Verity has decided to hang up his running shoes after helping to raise more than £500,000 for cancer charities.

Back in 2006, when he decided to run his first marathon, he had hoped to raise £10,000 but with the help of friends and his late wife Helen the target was surpassed and upped to £25,000.

His inspiration then was his wife Helen and it has not changed three years after she died from a rare and incurable type of cancer at the age of 42.

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Her support helped him to continue through the pain barrier.

Mr Verity, who is best known for his work as chief executive of tourism body Welcome to Yorkshire, said it was time for his to stop fundraising.

“Helen died on December 16, 2009 at 2.30am, five weeks after I returned from New York having run my second marathon. She was buried on the December 23 on a winter’s day in her beloved Coverdale nearly six years to the day after she was given just 18 months to live. The team ran under the banner of “Running for Helen”.

“I decided last year to run this year’s London Marathon as a thank you to Marie Curie and to try and take the total raised for Yorkshire cancer charities to over £500,000.

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“I set a target of £50,000 and four friends volunteered to run and fundraise with me – Andrew Palmer, Bruce Tunstall, Annette Lambert and Lynn Peacock. Again the generosity of people in the face of tough economic conditions has been incredible. The total now raised this time stands at over £67,000 and rising.”

He ran his final marathon last month and found it the toughest of all.

“It was the hardest of my three marathons for many reasons. The injured thigh and hip half way around didn’t help. Primarily, with no Helen the whole finale took on a whole different dimension and was very tough.

“Having reached £500,000 raised for cancer charities here in Yorkshire, I now intend to stop my fundraising efforts that started nearly six years ago.

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“I think it’s worth pointing out that I was merely the leader of the cause – Helen was the real inspiration and the money raised was down to the hard work, effort and dedication of many amazingly generous, either in spirit or kind, individuals.

“All I did was persuade, cajole, encourage and run three marathons.

“My work is done now.”