Story

Hi! Many of you will know me, but some of you might not.   My name's Maria, I live in Greater Manchester, and I love to run.   It really gives me a sense of accomplishment and belonging, and the thrill of pushing through, even when it's painful, is really rewarding. I'm also an Orthodox Christian, and alongside my family, my church is really important to me.   This community of people has become like a second family to me, supporting me in difficult times and helping me to find gifts and potential I never knew I had.   I've watched this church turn from a little mission into a growing community of Christian love that wants to do more to reach out to people. This October I'll be running the Manchester Half Marathon for the first time ever.   I've done 5k and 10k races before, but never anything this big.   It's going to be a challenge for me, but I'm determined to do it, and I want to raise some money to help my church achieve some of its goals. So I'm asking if you'd please sponsor me.   I'd really appreciate your encouragement to push through, and it will also support something that's really important to me and so many other people I love as well.