8:22 am, April 17, 2024
The managing director of car dealership Chandlers will be running the London Marathon this Sunday (April 21) and raising money for the charity Bliss.
Gavin Pell decided to embark on training for the marathon alongside friend Dr Caroline Johnson, who is the Tory MP for Sleaford and North Hykeham.
Chandlers, based in Grantham, is a franchised dealer for KGM Motors and Ineos, as well as selling agricultural machinery among other things.
The pair have now been in training for nearly 12 months despite it starting as light-hearted competition to get in shape.
Pell explained: ‘It all started when we were playing with our respective children at a family barbecue on their climbing frame and concluded that we were all getting a little bit overweight and not very mobile any more.
‘So, we decided that we would get on with losing some weight, which spiralled from a bit of a light-hearted competition to then signing up for the London Marathon.’
He added: ‘We are running for Bliss, as it is a charity that we both hold close to our hearts for different reasons.
‘They step in during times of immense trauma where a baby is born prematurely – a situation that often arises unexpectedly.
‘Families find themselves thrust into highly stressful circumstances, often far from home, as they navigate the complexities of caring for a fragile newborn in a specialised hospital.
‘Bliss offers invaluable practical, emotional and financial support during these difficult times, helping families manage the challenges of living in a hospital environment while also caring for their other children.
‘They truly are a wonderful charity.’
Both chairman of Chandlers Howard Pell and parts director Felicity Hart (nee Pell) have previously run the London Marathon in 1982 and 2004 respectively, and so the pressure is on for Gavin to match the family achievement, with both of them managing a time of around four hours.
‘The enthusiasm from everyone at Chandlers has been very motivational,’ said Pell.
‘While I may have gone on at them a bit too much about fitness and even went as far as stretching stiff legs from all the training during meetings, their support has been brilliant!
‘I would also like to thank KGM for their very kind donation.’
You can find out how to donate by visiting the Chandlers website.
