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Barking mad Laura’s marathon debut
An RSPCA fundraiser is taking her job to the next level - by taking part in this year's SIG Insulations Sheffield Half Marathon. Laura Abbott, who has been working at the Sheffield branch of the RSPCA for just over three months, has signed up to take part in the city's biggest sporting event to raise cash for the animals she spends her days helping.

Laura, aged 23, who has been around animals for her whole life, is now in training for the event, which promises to be the biggest and best yet.

Norwich-born Laura, who now lives in Walkley, said: "Unfortunately the costs and responsibilities involved in having pets means that there will always be unwanted and abandoned animals in and around Sheffield, so our services will always be needed."Cases like that of the four puppies rescued by the RSPCA from the frozen canal in Sheffield highlight how the team help abandoned animals from across the city. However, if it wasn't for the generosity of members of the public, the centre wouldn't even be able to operate.

"The RSPCA centre, which opened last year on Stadium Way, costs around £500,000 to run every year, so fundraising is vital. Taking part in the Sheffield Half Marathon is a great way of giving your time and investing your energies in something worthwhile."

Laura has set herself the goal of completing the race in less than three hours - which may seem like no mean feat to some but, for Laura, it's more of a challenge than it sounds.

She said: "I have begun my training programme to make sure I am as prepared as I can be for the race. Running for fifteen minutes every other day might not sound too gruelling, but believe me it's harder than it sounds.

"I am going to make sure I put my heart and soul into it, though, and I just hope I make it round the course in one piece. For someone who has never run more than 1500 metres it's going to be a huge challenge!"

The SIG Insulations Sheffield Half Marathon and 3k Fun Run will take place on 26 April 2009 at Sheffield International Venues managed facility Don Valley Stadium from 9:30am.

For more information and to secure a place to run on behalf of the chosen charities, call 0114 230 8429, or visit www.sheffieldmarathon.com to enter online.
 
For more information on RSPCA Sheffield, visit www.rspcasheffield.org.uk or call 0114 2898050.