WHEN Claire Moulson decided to run a fund-raising half marathon in memory of a treasured friend, she thought she was being ambitious setting a target of £500.
What she didn’t reckon on was the deep generosity of friends, family, colleagues and the community which meant she not only smashed her target, but raised an incredible £10,000.
“I’m just amazed, and I thank from the bottom of my heart all the people who have supported me on this journey – it’s been overwhelming,” said Claire, from Alcester.
It was a bittersweet journey too which began back in February when her lifelong friend Sharne Phipps was diagnosed with terminal cancer.
“It was heartbreaking, she was married to a wonderful man and they had two kids and because of lockdown I couldn’t go and see her,” said Claire,
“I thought if I did the run I could raise maybe £500 to give them a couple of days out.
“I put a message out on Facebook and that total was smashed in minutes.”
She signed up to do the Leamington half marathon and Alcester 10k, but both were cancelled due to Covid-19.
Undeterred, last Sunday she ran her own virtual half marathon around Alcester, starrting out from Alauna Avenue where Sharne grew up and where both their parents still live.
“It was so emotional, but I did it,” said Claire, who works for local estate agents Sanders and Sanders.
Powering her on was the memory of Sharne who had sadly passed in August.
“She was just 38 years old, it was just heartbreaking,” said Claire.
Claire’s Just giving page is open until the first week in November at http://www.justgiving.com and type in Claire Moulson.
