Bereaved mum will run to help children 'smile again
A mother of one from Taunton, Somerset, will take on Exeter’s Rock Solid Race in March to raise money for Scotty’s Little Soldiers, a national charity that helps bereaved British Forces children smile again.
Laura Winter's husband Colour Sergeant Aaron Winter of the Royal Marines, also known as Tiny, died on 6 December 2013 from Sudden Adult Death.
Since losing Aaron, Laura has experienced the crucial work Scotty’s Little Soldiers carries out first hand as their four-year-old daughter, Ava, has been supported by the charity for over a year. The charity has provided Ava with birthday and Christmas gifts plus vouchers on the anniversary of her daddy’s death.
The charity also provides bereavement counselling, and its collection of Scotty’s lodges means it is able to send members and their families on much needed holidays. Scotty’s Little Soldiers will support Ava and its 250 members until their 18th birthdays.
Laura will be running the obstacle event with her close friends Carly Sheraton, Lou Fyne and Mandi Rees on 19 March. She broke her initial fundraising target of £500 in just 36 hours, and is now hoping to raise as much as she can for the charity.
Whilst this is the first time she has raised money for Scotty’s Little Soldiers, Laura is in the process of organising an awareness stand at Commando Training Centre Royal Marines, Lympstone. ‘Tinyfest’, a music festival, is also being held in support of the charity and in her late husband’s memory.
Laura, from Taunton, said; “I’m actually really looking forward to the race. I’ve been doing lots of training and even joined Boxing Bootcamp to make sure I make everyone proud and do the best I can.
“I’m trying to raise as much money as possible because Scotty’s Little Soldiers is so close to my heart. The charity has changed both mine and Ava’s life for the better and I don’t know what we would have done without it. Not only is it great to see Ava with a smile on her face, but she has also made new friends who have been through the same ordeal and understand exactly what it is like to lose a parent. ”
The Rock Solid Race is a muddy obstacle course over a five, 10 or 15km distance that challenges both experienced athletes and first time runners. This year, Scotty’s is putting together a team of fundraisers to take part in the Exeter (19 March) and Milton Keynes (29 October) events and is hoping to raise a total of £30,000.
Nikki Scott, founder of Scotty’s Little Soldiers said; “It’s always lovely to have families supported by Scotty’s raising money. I know Laura well and it’s an absolute delight that she is getting involved in this exciting challenge.
“This year’s Rock Solid Race is actually our biggest fundraising challenge yet and we’re really keen for everyone to get involved and show their support for Scotty’s. I ran the race last year, it’s not only a great day out for everyone but most importantly raises money so we can carry on helping British Forces kids who have lost a parent.”
Registration is just £35 and those who raise over £300 will receive a free Under Armour Tech T-shirt.
For more information on the charity visit http://www.scottyslittlesoldiers.co.uk or to sign-up to join ‘Team Scotty’ visit http://scottychallenges.co.uk/
To help Laura’s fundraising efforts please visit https://scottysrocksolidrace.everydayhero.com/uk/laura-winter
