Queen Charlotte administrator Donna finally realises her London Marathon dream

Running the London Marathon has been a goal of Queen Charlotte Nursing Home administrator Donna Elliott since she watched the race in its early days during the 1980s.

And her dream will finally come true on Sunday, October 2 when she toes the line at Greenwich alongside nearly 50,000 other athletes.

Her four children will be among those cheering her on the day and colleagues at the Weymouth home and Kingsley staff across the country are being given the chance to support her fundraising for the domestic violence charity Refuge.

Donna, 51, entered the ballot for marathon places every year but suffered more than 20 rejections until she finally secured one in 2019.

But jubilation again turned to disappointment when the 2020 race was cancelled due to the Covid pandemic.

She said: “My place was moved on to the next London Marathon in October 2021 but bad luck struck again when I injured my hip just before the race and I had to defer my entry to this year.”

Donna, a member of JH Running, a club in Weymouth, has been training up to 60 miles a week along the town’s seafront and picturesque Jurassic Coast, and completed a 20 mile training run earlier this month.

“Our home maintenance person Emma Kitney has supported me by coming out on some runs with me,” she said.

Donna took up running in 2015 to sort out her mental health after a difficult marriage; she is aiming to raise £1,000 for Refuge which supported her during her troubled time.

Colleagues are invited to sponsor her online via www.justgiving.com/fundraising/donna-elliott8