TWO friends will be running a half marathon in a bid to raise cash for Worcester Foodbank, which was inspired after the government voted against a proposal to provide free school meals during the holiday.

Darryl Swallow and Michael Mooney, both from Worcester, will take on the Silverstone Half Marathon challenge on November 15.

The pair had originally planned on racing a 10K race at the Brmingham MoRun, but that was cancelled due to coronavirus.

Mr Swallow said: “The days after the race had been cancelled, we heard that free school meals through half term had been rejected by the government.

“We are both big family people, ex-servicemen, charity enthusiasts, and feel strongly that people shouldn’t go without a meal.

“So, Michael and I sat down and discussed doing something to help our local community and supporting the people who are finding times hard and a struggle to put food on the table.

“That’s when we decided to push our bodies and participate in the Silverstone Half Marathon. We have set up a Just Giving page and started putting the miles in.

“Every penny raised will go a long way.”

The pair were inspired by England forward Marcus Rashford who called on the government to provide free school meals during the holidays.

It’s been a tough year for everyone so far and some people are finding it hard to feed not only themselves, but their families as well.

Mr Swallow added: “We haven’t ran this distance for well over a year, but we wanted to push our limits in the hope people will dig deep for another great cause.

“The Worcester Foodbank rely solely on volunteers for the day to day running, and the generosity of the community to help keep the stock full for the people who need it the most.

“With the demand increasing daily, the Worcester Foodbank are grateful for every donation they can get, both food and money.”

To donate, visit www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/darryl-mooney?