Running for 150 Years
By Ben Cornwell
Established in 1872, Hastings’ oldest estate agents, John Bray, are celebrating their 150th anniversary this year. As part of their celebrations, the family-run business plans to host several charity fundraisers, activities and competitions throughout 2022 to raise money for the Chestnut Tree House children’s charity.
Chestnut Tree House provides hospice care and community support for children and young people with life-shortening conditions. The John Bray team is attempting to collect £1,872 for the local charity to match the year they were founded.
Sales and Marketing Manager, Colin Darbyshire, is taking on the first fundraising challenge of the year and has set himself the task of running 150km in February ─ no mean feat at roughly 10km every other day. I’m exhausted
just thinking about it, although, unlike myself, Colin is an avid runner. He tries to run at least twice a week and has taken part in several triathlons as well as the Hastings Half Marathon in previous years.
Colin doesn’t believe the distance will be the biggest obstacle he faces this month, but rather maintaining the rhythm and motivation. “Getting up every morning and going for a run at 7am before work is going to be a struggle,” he says. “But it’s the only real opportunity I have in the day to do it.
“Being able to run 10km is something I can do, but being able to do it every two days, fifteen times this month, that’s going to be the challenge. I’m going to give it my best shot.”
Colin has said that his only goal is to finish the challenge and go the distance; he has no plans to target any PBs or record-breaking times during his runs. The main thing he wants to avoid is overdoing it or picking up any nasty injuries, causing him to get behind schedule and having to make the time up.
• If you’d like to donate or track Colin’s progress, visit the John Bray JustGiving page, www.justgiving.com/fundraising/johnbray150
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