church-goer Richard Flenley is in the running for this year’s London Marathon, training hard in the count down to April 23.

An active member of the congregation at St Mary’s Church, in Chiddingfold, he is raising money for and awareness about the work of Christian Aid.

Richard, who lives with wife Julie and children Joshua, 10, William, six and Oliver, four, said: “Like many in the village, we try to do what we can to give back to the community, both in the village and further afield.”

Training is well under way in advance of the big day – with more than 109 miles under his belt so far this year – and you might see Richard pounding the pavements, lanes and fields around the village in his bright red Christian Aid top.

Richard said he has spent years playing rugby and many hours on exercise and, in training, with the Territorials.

He has also completed a number of running events despite undergoing surgery on his knees, but he said: “This comfortably amounts to my biggest challenge ever. I am very much looking forward to doing it – and am delighted to be raising money for such a worthy cause in doing so – even if the size of the task is daunting.”

His overall target of £2,000 would be enough for Christian Aid to prove 20 refugee families from Syria, Iraq or Afghanistan with tents, beds, cooking equipment and basic food rations, and hygiene kits to stay clean and healthy.

He said: “I would desperately love to be able to achieve that and more – and make a real difference to the work Christian Aid can do.

“Christian Aid is an amazing charity, doing incredible things – and has been since 1945. With all of the turmoil, poverty and suffering in the world, from Syria to Cambodia and from Ethiopia to Haiti, the work done by Christian Aid to help all has never been more important.”

He has set up a blog both raising awareness of all that Christian Aid does and acting as a focal point for his fundraising.

The blog can be accessed at www.richardflenley.wordpress.com

Richard added: “I would be ever so grateful for any donations that you feel able to make to this cause, whether via the ‘donate now’ button on the blog, or by leaving it at the rectory in an envelope marked Christian Aid.”