'When I saw how much we’d raised, I was astonished' Bedford friends fundraise for children's hospices
Three Bedford friends who took on a charity challenge for children’s hospices raised almost four times their original target.
The trio decided to take on running challenges at London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park – and set a target of £500 for East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH).
But they exceeded expectations, raising £1,860.
Teacher Azad Uddin, 26, completed a 5k parkrun, despite only taking up running a few weeks earlier.
Meanwhile, brothers paramedic Aqeeb Hanif, 29, and accountant Zain Hanif, 26, tackled the 10k distance.
Azad said: “When I saw how much we’d raised, I was astonished. Our total had jumped up and that made me feel humbled and overwhelmed.
“We play a lot of team sport, including football, so asked our friends and team-mates to support us and, thankfully, they gave very generously.
“I did the 5k and felt it went well. I probably went off a bit quickly – the adrenaline got the better of me – but I managed to pace myself in the second half and was really pleased to complete it.
“It was a great event and very enjoyable. Even though I haven’t been running for long, I’m the kind of person who likes having something to work towards. Having an end goal spurs me on.”
He added: “Aqeeb and Zain are also relatively new to running and they both did brilliantly. Both were pleased with their times, and we were all delighted to complete our challenges.”
“We all felt strongly about raising funds for a charity that supports children and families.
“As a primary school teacher, that’s especially important to me and, after learning more about EACH, we were all incredibly impressed. It’s a local charity that does so much amazing work, providing specialist care and support when families need it most. It was our pleasure to help in a small way by taking on this challenge.”
Azad and Zain have been friends since their school days, while Aqeeb is Zain’s older brother.