Sarah Borland, a woman from Ely, is set to run the London Marathon to raise funds for SSAFA (Soldiers', Sailors' and Airmen's Families Association), the Armed Forces Charity.

SSAFA is a charity that is close to Sarah's heart, as she was born on a British Army base in Munster, Germany.

Her father, John, was in the Royal Artillery and the family travelled around with him before returning to Ely in the 1990s.

Now, her parents run The Fountain pub in Ely, and are focusing on helping raise funds to help Sarah qualify to run the London Marathon for SSAFA.

She needs to raise over £2,500 to qualify.

Speaking about why she chose SSAFA as her charity for the London Marathon, Sarah said: "Life in the military has its ups and downs, it can be brilliant, but sometimes it can be really hard too.

"I know first-hand how hard it can be to transition back to "civvy street", as my dad left the army after 18 years in the early 90s, when I was seven years old, and I had only really known life on military bases.

"The work SSAFA does in this area is enormously valuable and helps people who have served and their families to thrive in their new lives back in what many of us take for granted as being "normal"."

Recommended Reading: Ely: Record number of donations handed over to groups

Sarah has ran the London Marathon in the past, and is currently training for this year's run with her dog, Trudy. 

The 2024 London Marathon marks Sarah's 10th marathon, having completed all major European Marathons, the Chicago Marathon, and the London Marathon once before.

She added: "I am so looking forward to meeting other SSAFA runners and their families on the day of the marathon itself.”

Anyone who would like to donate to Sarah's run can do so by clicking here.