BROMSGROVE man who gave up a 40-a-day smoking habit before successfully completing the London Marathon has handed over a cheque for more than £5,000 to children’s charity Young at Heart.
Matt Greaves, the managing director of Bromsgrove Body Repairs in Stoke Prior, answered the call from Martina Ponsonby who appealed for a runner to take up a silver bond gifted to the charity by the London Marathon organisers.
Martina runs The Stage Door Dance Academy and her son Max has undergone several life-saving operations since 1998 after being born with a serious heart defect.
She said: “I was over the moon when Matt, who is the parent of one of my dance students offered to pick up the gauntlet and run for us.
“He raised a marathon £5,336.04 for the benefit of our heart children and we can’t thank him enough.
“His commitment to the task was incredible and we all followed his weekly blogs about his training and personal journey.
“I think Matt found the whole experience life changing. I’m not sure if he realises that what he has done for Young at Heart, could also be life changing to our heart children.”
Matt, who has been invited to the charity’s Christmas party where they will be personally thanking him for his efforts, said: “When I was asked to run the London marathon for young at heart, I was smoking 42 cigarettes a day.
“After ten months of training I managed to run 42km in a day.”
