Media Release

Yeovil Children's Charity stages Mini Games Marathon to celebrate fundraiser's double Marathon feat!

Yeovil Opportunity Group staged a Mini Games Marathon on Monday, 4 June in support of champion fundraiser and Royal Navy Officer Scott Jamieson's double Marathon challenge which he will complete when he takes part in the Yeovil Marathon on Sunday, 10 June.

Scott ran the London Marathon on 22 April in a very respectable time of 3:06 and is aiming to run the Yeovil Marathon in under three hours.  On both occasions Scott is aiming to raise money to support the Yeovil based children's charity which has been leading the way in South Somerset pre-school education for children and families with additional needs for nearly 50 years.

Scott said, "I have always liked to run, it's my passion.  I surprisingly got a ballot place this year for the London Marathon and had already entered the Yeovil Marathon - so by luck (or lack of it) I have ended up doing both.

"It was important to me to pick a local charity when deciding to run for the Yeovil Opportunity Group. I do not have a personal relationship with the group, but that doesn't stop me recognising the excellent work they do and I know such services are always under resourced, with their staff always going the extra mile. So it was an easy decision to make. I am so glad that I did because the support from the kids, staff and parents has been really humbling."

Kim Duller, manager of YOG, says, "We are always grateful to all our fundraisers, but when we heard that Scott was running not one, but two marathons in support of YOG, we thought it would be a great idea to get the children and families who attend the centre really involved in what Scott is doing.

"The idea for a mini games marathon worked well and the children loved it with everyone taking part receiving a medal and a certificate. I know that many of them will be cheering Scott on when he runs the Yeovil Marathon on Sunday."

The Yeovil Marathon has been taking place for the past four years and is hosted by Yeovil Town Road Running Club. This year the event is being held at the Athletics Track at RNAS Yeovilton by kind permission from Commodore Nick Tindal.

Picture captions:

Scott Jamieson presents a medal to one of the children taking part in YOG's mini marathon games

Family and friends of YOG came to support Scott's double marathon attempt

For more information about YOG, please visit: www.yog.org.uk  or contact: Kim Duller, E/: kim@yog.org.uk    or T/:  01935 384157

For more press information and a hi res image, contact Jane Adkins, A Head for PR, T/: 01935 813114 or M/: 07960698089 or E/: jane@aheadforpr.co.uk 

Editor's Notes

Yeovil Opportunity Group is based at the Balidon Centre on Preston Road, Yeovil and aspires to continue to lead the way in pre-school education for children and families with additional needs after nearly 50 years; Yeovil Opportunity Group was amongst the first of its kind in the country to offer specialist support. It was founded by a paediatrician and a social worker who saw the need for therapy and learning through play and family support for children with special needs, aged 0-5 years.

Yeovil Opportunity Group works with both pre-school children and families, it offers time and space and many years of experience from a specialist and highly trained team.

The Group can consider taking any child, depending on theirs and/or the family's level of need. Although a referral is not necessary in order for a child to attend, referrals can come from GPs, health visitors, paediatricians, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists and SENCOs as well as other pre-schools and nurseries

Councillor Jane Lock is Chair of Trustees for the Yeovil Opportunity Group.

JUNE 2018 (YOG 05)