Winchester Half Marathon, Meet the WYC Runners 2024
As the Winchester Half Marathon approaches on Sunday, 22nd September 2024, we’re thrilled to introduce some of the dedicated runners representing Winchester Youth Counselling (WYC). These incredible individuals are not only pushing themselves physically to complete the challenging 13.1-mile course, but they are also running with a powerful purpose: raising crucial funds to support WYC’s ongoing mission to provide free, confidential counselling services and support to young people aged 11 to 25 across the Winchester District.
Meet our runners:
Gareth
Gareth lives in Ampfield with his wife, daughter, and a variety of pets. Having worked at a senior level in Healthcare and Adult Social Care, he enjoys staying active through running, cycling, and badminton. Outside of work, he loves exploring the countryside with his three dogs and spending time with family in Cornwall. Gareth started running for health and to enjoy Winchester’s beautiful scenery, and during the pandemic, it became a way to reflect. He now runs to stay healthy for his family and to raise awareness of WYC’s amazing work.
https://www.justgiving.com/page/gareth-barter-ishegonnamakeit
Anthony
Anthony is always busy with family and work but finds time to socialise and stay fit. He took up running after a friend challenged him to complete the Eastleigh 10k, which got him hooked. Now, running helps him maintain his physical and mental fitness. Always open to new challenges, Anthony is ready to support WYC through the marathon.
Harriet
Harriet is a Southampton GP and a running enthusiast who loves spending time with her dog, Lulu. Running has been her escape since university, helping her manage stress and anxiety, while also allowing her to explore new places and connect with people. It’s more than a hobby; it’s a lifestyle, and she hopes to keep running well into her later years.
https://www.justgiving.com/page/harriet-quast-1719747009762
Richard
Richard, a self-proclaimed karaoke lover, is navigating a mid-life crisis and considering buying a sports car. A fan of football, golf, and pool, he took up running after breaking his leg in his teens. Running has helped him stay fit, and now, as a dad, his goal is to maintain his fitness to keep up with his children.
https://www.justgiving.com/page/richard-maiden-1726429651953
John R
John was born in Suffolk and moved to Winchester last year, now working for the Hampshire Cultural Trust while pursuing postgraduate research in Art History at the University of Sussex. He leads a busy life, often found in museums, galleries, or heavy metal bars, where he moshes hard but enjoys unwinding with his acoustic guitar, poetry, or making preserves. Passionate about all things literary and historical, John took up running to lose weight and get fit, and he now runs to push himself out of his comfort zone, balancing his love for art and culture with his fitness goals.
https://www.justgiving.com/page/john-reed-1722756741922
Mako
Mako Kasipo is a junior doctor training to become a psychiatrist, originally from Zimbabwe, but now settled in Winchester for the past four years. Alongside running, she is a keen tennis player, swimmer, and enjoys creative pursuits like reading, writing, and singing. She started running during the 2020 lockdown as a way to stay active, finding it meditative and a great way to let her mind wander. With her first half marathon approaching, Mako’s goal is to finish strong and then reward herself with a well-deserved coffee and brunch afterward!
https://www.justgiving.com/page/makomborero-kasipo-1723574236559
Amée
Amée McMurray, originally from Buckinghamshire, has been living in Hampshire with her husband for the past 10 years and is a proud mum of three. Motherhood reignited her passion for running, which she had embraced as part of her active youth, having been on the county swim team and involved in various school sports. Running has recently become important for her mental health as well. Amee runs to achieve a personal sense of accomplishment and to promote a realistic, healthy lifestyle for her children, showing them the value of incorporating exercise into daily life.
Why Your Support Matters
WYC has been providing free counselling services for young people aged 11–25 in the Winchester District for over two decades. Our team of qualified counsellors offers a safe, confidential environment for young people to discuss their feelings, work through challenges, and develop coping strategies. With the rise in mental health challenges facing young people, particularly after the disruptions of the pandemic, our services are needed more than ever.
However, as a charity, we rely heavily on donations to keep our services free and accessible to all. The funds raised by our fantastic runners during the Winchester Half Marathon will go directly towards expanding our reach and providing more sessions to those who need them. Every penny raised ensures that no young person has to face their mental health challenges alone.
How You Can Help
You can support our runners by donating through our fundraising page, their individual just-giving pages (as shown above), or by cheering them on as they tackle the half marathon route through the historic streets of Winchester. Your donations will make a difference to the lives of local young people, helping them to build resilience, confidence, and better mental health.
Let’s come together as a community and show our runners — and the young people they’re supporting — that we’re behind them every step of the way.
We look forward to seeing you on 22nd September! Let’s make this marathon one to remember for all the right reasons.