• Swindon & Wiltshire Social
• Wednesday April 30 2025

Berkshire businessman raises £4k for charity with London Marathon run

Berkshire businessman Paul Day has raised £4,000 for children’s charity Helen & Douglas Children’s Hospice after completing the London Marathon.

Paul Day, managing director of document management specialist Filestream, completed the marathon in 6 hours 51 minutes.

“It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done,” said Paul.

“I’ve only ever done a couch to 5k and a park run in Dinton. This was an incredible challenge; I was really putting my body to the test.”

The unexpected heat on the day meant that runners ran under very hot conditions which they were not expecting. To combat this, fire fighters and visitors sprayed runners with sprinklers, so runners could travel through a mist of cool water at various points en route.

“The atmosphere was amazing. The crowd cheered me on and the sense of community from other runners kept me going. It felt like nothing I’ve ever experienced,” Paul commented.

“By the 22nd mile, I hit ‘the wall’. It was like my body didn’t want to carry on. If it wasn’t for the crowd, I wouldn’t have made it. I still don’t know how I kept going.

“When I crossed the finish line, it hit me that I had completed a marathon. I had proven to that I can challenge myself and succeed, all whilst raising money for charity. It was extremely emotional.”

This is not the first time Paul has taken on a challenge for charity. In 2023, he participated in the world’s first-ever Skyscraper Challenge in London, where he ran up more than 1,000 stairs of The Cheesegrater, all for charity.

“If you are ever thinking of running the London Marathon and can do it, try it! Train and put the work in. I got to do something I never thought I would do. It’s the ultimate challenge,” Paul said.

He added: “I am so proud to support a local charity that provides such critical care and support for children and their families during the hardest times of their lives.”

London Marathon runners collectively raised £124,000 for Helen & Douglas Children’s Hospice and Paul smashed his own fundraising target, which was initially £2,500.

Julia Woodcock, community and event manager from Helen & Douglas Children’s Hospice, said: “I hope that Paul feels immensely proud of what he achieved on Sunday. Not only did he complete the TCS London Marathon in very hot, difficult conditions, but he also raised over £4,000 – and rising – for the hospice.

“An amount like this could fund the costs to maintain our sensory and therapeutic garden for a whole year, ensuring it’s an engaging and calming environment for children and their families.”

Anyone who would like to add to Paul’s fundraising tally should visit https://2025tcslondonmarathon.enthuse.com/pf/paul-day