Funeral director undertakes an uphill challenge

RUNNING a marathon will certainly be an uphill challenge for funeral director Mark Banham. For Mr Banham, aged 35, of Hearnden and Daughters funeral parlour in St Albans, is planning to run up and down Holywell Hill 13 times – and with 25lb strapped to hi

RUNNING a marathon will certainly be an uphill challenge for funeral director Mark Banham.

For Mr Banham, aged 35, of Hearnden and Daughters funeral parlour in St Albans, is planning to run up and down Holywell Hill 13 times - and with 25lb strapped to his back.

He has taken up the challenge to run 26 miles 385 yards up and down Holywell Hill, where the funeral parlour is based, to raise £32,000 for a minibus for use of elderly people living in Quantum Care homes of which there are three in St Albans.

During his marathon a fete will be held in the car park of the funeral parlour which he has also organised. It will include stalls, a raffle, a bouncy castle and a hog roast.

Around 50 members of staff from the care homes will be helping and collecting money around the city centre.

Mr Banham's charity challenge begins at 7am on Sunday, August 31, and he hopes to be finished by 4pm. The fete starts at 10am.

He would welcome donations c/o Hearnden and Daughters, 5 Holywell Hill, St Albans A11 1EU.