A Kington builder whose brother has severe learning difficulties, is tackling the London Marathon to give something back to Mencap, which has helped his family so much.
Nigel Taylor had never done any running before he pulled on his trainers and started pounding the roads in readiness for April’s marathon.
Now the 43-year-old who lives in Shobdon is covering 18 miles in one run and is looking forward to the challenge of the 26 mile run on April 25.
Nigel’s eldest brother Stephen, suffers with severe learning difficulties. Although he is 47, he has a mental age of 12 or 13.
He lives at Ferney’s in Leominster, a centre for four or five clients where he is helped to become more independent, and returns to his family on the weekends.
“Mencap has helped my brother since he was diagnosed with a problem at a young age,” said Nigel. “They take him on trips – he has been on more trips than me! – and they support the rest of the family and provide us with advice whenever we ask for it.
“This is my first attempt at running although I’ve done a bit of cycling before. I got a schedule of training off the internet and I have been following that. The first time I went out I probably did about one mile and now I am upto 18 miles.
“I am doing a half marathon in South Wales this weekend to get used to running in an organised event and to see how I get on, and then I hope to manage 26 miles before the London Marathon.”
Nigel, who works for John Priday Construction in Kington, said the hardest part of the training was finding the motivation to go out in the evenings after working all day but he said his weekend runs were not too bad.
To boost the money he raises for Mencap, Nigel has taken part in a couple of car boot sales. He intends to do more before the marathon, and has been supported by four or five local businesses after sending out request letters.
He has already sent around £400 to Mencap and has another £400 to collect after the London Marathon.
But it’s not too late to sponser Nigel, who has sponsor forms at Shobdon Village Shop and KBS and Arrow Plant in Kington. Or email him at nigelbretttaylor@aol.com