On Sunday, October 2, amongst the 50,000 participants who ran the historic London Marathon was local boy, Gavin Worrell.

In a remarkable achievement, Gavin ran the full 26 miles in four hours and eight minutes – raising over £1,000 for the charity, Compassion UK.

The London Marathon was Gavin’s first ever attempt at the sport although it has always been a dream of his and he admitted that a number of factors led to his decision to apply for a place.

In preparation for the marathon, Gavin largely credited Fairwater Runners, a running club in Cwmbran which was integral in enhancing his physical fitness and subsequently – his mentality, “It was their support and expertise that paved the way and motivated me.”

Beyond this, Gavin had a fantastic support system behind him. Along with his family and friends, Our Lady and St Michael’s – the primary school he works in as a higher learning assistant – were extremely encouraging.

His colleagues were thrilled to see one of their own taking part, standing behind him from the moment he announced his intentions to run the marathon and pupils were in utter awe at what Mr Worrell had achieved.

“They couldn’t wrap their heads around the fact that I was running 26 miles,” Gavin said “they were especially impressed by the medal!”

The key to his motivation however, was his passion for the charity he was running for.

Compassion strives to aid women and their babies based in Kenya; providing them with support and expert care, which would crucially reduce mortality rate.

As a proud advocate, Gavin praised its work, saying: “Compassion is a charity whose work is a life and game changer for children and families who are left with no hope and no opportunity to dream. If I can help further their vision through fundraising and help widen and spread their work a bit more too, then that would be amazing!”

This charity has had a close place to Gavin’s heart since 2008, when he sponsored a child in Ghana. The young boy was in a difficult position, being one of many siblings to a single mother. The impact his sponsorship had on him was immeasurable.

With Compassion UK’s resources, he was able to go through school and eventually, college, securing himself a bright future that would have been impossible without the guidance of the charity.

Witnessing the clear effect that this had on both the boy and his family, Gavin wanted to continue contributing to the cause.

He became the sole Welsh representative of the charity in the marathon, something that he is very proud of.

He was of course, in good company, meeting other Compassion representatives from across the UK and essentially building a strong community, where they could further fuel motivation.

His dedication to the charity is made all the more apparent by his decision to train as a Compassion speaker.

Gavin hopes to go on and share Compassion’s message throughout Abergavenny, shedding light on what this incredible charity can achieve and how we can help other struggling families.

Completing the marathon was an emotional but enriching experience. While it was one of the most difficult things Gavin has done, he admits that he has been bitten by the marathon bug. “I want to do the Snowdon Marathon and the London Marathon again. I’m determined to beat my score.”

Gavin’s fundraising page is still open for donations until the end of the month and the amount continues to grow.

Over the weekend, he secured an additional £142 through a fundraising event held in Newport; all proceeds will go the Kenyan project.

A huge congratulations to Gavin, his achievements and enthusiasm for Compassion acts as a great inspiration to us all.