Young carer Ellis Bywater from Hanham is running the Great Bristol Run on September 25 in memory of his dad, Andy, to raise funds for us.
Andy died in May of this year after a long battle with physical and mental health issues. During Andy’s illness, Ellis received help and support from the Young Carers service at Carers Support Centre as he looked after his dad.
Ellis says, “Young Carers gave me and my family an amazing amount of support while I supported my dad. Every penny will be going to a cause that I have greatly benefitted from for the past seven years.”
Running is the perfect way for Ellis to fundraise in memory of his dad as, before his illness, Andy was a keen and successful runner, even completing the London Marathon twice. Ellis says, “Now, I wish to continue his legacy and continue running in his footsteps”.
Ellis’ own running career has been on hold while his energies were used to look after his dad. It’s been over three years since he’s run, having completed the Warmley Forest Park 5k in 2018 for Young Carers, but a strict training regime means that Ellis is on track for his September 10k challenge.
But the main motivation for Ellis is his dad’s memory, “This one’s for you Dad, and I know you’ll be running alongside me”.
You can sponsor Ellis on his JustGiving page
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