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Editor’s marathon raises more than £5k for heart charity

A weekly newspaper editor raised more than £5,000 for a heart charity after running the London Marathon.

Bev Thomas, the managing editor of the Cambrian News, completed the marathon in April and has now handed over a cheque for £5,556 to the Aberystwyth branch of the British Heart Foundation – the largest single sum ever received by the branch.

At Bev’s request, some of the funds will be used to purchase defibrillators for local towns and villages, as part of the “No Time to Wait” appeal and some will be donated to the “Mending Broken Hearts” appeal for stem cell research into how damaged arteries can repair themselves.

Bev, who has become a patron of the charity branch, said: “It was an amazing feeling crossing that marathon finishing line after what, for me, was a gruelling feat of endurance. Like tens of thousands of others, I collected my medal with pride.

“Thanks to everyone’s generous sponsorship, plus proceeds from a curry night and auction at Penrhyncoch Football Club, I was able to raise £5,556 for the British Heart Foundation, a charity that does such fantastic work to help those with heart problems.

“After my dad had a life-saving triple heart bypass seven years ago, I am particularly pleased to be able to support the charity. The Aberystwyth and district branch, in particular, has won awards for its hard work and amazing fundraising.”

Bev presents the cheque to Glan Davies, secretary of the Aberystwyth and District branch of the British Heart Foundation, and vice-chairman Arfon Jones.