Former Bognor mayor raises more than £1,500 with London Marathon success

"It was just an absolutely amazing experience, a fabulous day," so said Paul Wells, the former Bognor Regis town mayor who, yesterday, completed the London Marathon, raising more than £1,500 for the Sussex Snowdrop Trust.

Even though he was already an experienced runner, Mr Wells said he had to train hard for the event, overcoming a knee operation back in November 2019, to cross the finish line at Buckingham Palace yesterday afternoon.

"(My knee) was absolutely fine. I had a couple of niggles and a couple of smaller injuries from the training process this year, but, at the end of the day, I wasn't out to do a time, I was just out to enjoy the experience, lap up the atmosphere and get to the end."

In fact, with the Brighton marathon already under his belt, Mr Wells said he felt much better prepared for the London event, so much so that he and running partner Claire Baker 'sailed' through the first 15 miles with ease.

"I think it's down to fuelling, making sure you're taking the right amount of food and fluid on the way round. I had that sort of sussed and I did find it a lot easier this time around."

Another factor which contributed to his success, Mr Wells said, was the size and enthusiasm of the London crowd: "The crowd and the support up there is just absolutely phenomenal from start to finish," he said. "Tower Bridge was just so noisy with people rattling stuff and shouting out at us. It was a memory to treasure, really."

The money raised will go to the Sussex Snowdrop Trust, which provides support for the families of children with terminal conditions like cancer, leukaemia and cystic fibrosis. Although he has already raised more than £1,500 for the charity, Mr Wells said "It's not going to stop there. We're going to continue to fundraise for Snowdrop.

"They've been really good, the support from Snowdrop has been great. It's a fantastic local charity and I was really pleased and honoured to be able to run for them."

To find out more about and donate to the former Mayor's fundraising efforts, click here.