London Marathon was 'experience I'll never forget' says woman who raised funds for children's charity

A Leamington runner achieved a sub four-hour London Marathon time to raise money for the National Deaf Children’s Society on Sunday 21 April. Jess Digby finished the marathon distance of 26.2 miles in a time of 3 hours, 39 minutes.

She has exceeded her fundraising target of £2,000 for the charity, which supports the UK’s 50,000 deaf children and their families. Jess chose to support the National Deaf Children’s Society because she was born partially deaf and as a result faced challenges in school, at work and socially.

Jess, 29, works as a Senior Account Manager and lives in Leamington with her fiancé Will and their dog Baxter. The couple plan to get married in June. Jess said: "I had such a great experience running the London Marathon. Although the training was gruelling, it all paid off on Marathon day with the electric atmosphere and the amazing support from the crowd and my friends and family cheering me on. It will certainly be a day I'll never forget.

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“I’ve been very privileged and lucky enough that my hearing has never held me back from anything I needed or wanted to do. Unfortunately, many children and families in the UK are not as fortunate. That’s why I chose the National Deaf Children's Society. It’s a charity close to my heart and I consider it a real privilege to be running for them – they do such great work. Your support for this great cause is so appreciated.”

Hannah Awesome, who supports fundraisers for the National Deaf Children’s Society, added: "I want to say a huge thank you to Jess for taking on this challenge for us. To conquer the London Marathon is a fantastic achievement. We’re very proud of you. The National Deaf Children’s Society is dedicated to supporting the UK’s 50,000 deaf children and their families. The efforts of selfless fundraisers like Jess will help us to keep on doing our vital work, now and into the future.”