A YOUNG mum, formerly from Crediton but who now lives in Cranbrook near Exeter, has completed her first 10k run to raise money for FORCE Cancer Charity – and she did it the day after moving house.

Sian Williams decided to challenge herself when she started working for the Exeter-based organisation.

“I joined the finance team at FORCE in April and thought it was only right that I organise an event to raise some money for this amazing charity,” said Sian, whose mum, Yvonne Youles, is secretary of Crediton Operatic and Dramatic Society (CODS).

“For those of you who don’t know, FORCE stands for Friends of the Oncology and Radiotherapy Centre Exeter and supports anyone locally affected by cancer,” she added.

She came up with the idea of the Cranberry Dash and persuaded five others to join her - Hayley Rice, Louise Brown and Sally Rutterford, friends of Sian’s from the Crediton area, and Lisa Palmer and Megan Palmer from Exeter.

They started and finished at the Cranberry Farm pub in Cranbrook and their route took them out towards the M5 and back.

“It was quite tough with some big hills in places,” said Sian. “The road by the Black Horse is a lot steeper and longer than it seems in the car! I am NOT a runner and was neither mentally nor physically prepared for it but to me it didn’t matter.

“I ran to raise money for a charity that supports people who, through no fault of their own, need to use the services that FORCE provides.”

The Dash team all ran in FORCE T-shirts and Sian explained: “We wanted to make people in Cranbrook, especially anybody new to the area, aware of FORCE and the incredible work they do.”

Kathryn Morrish, who also lives in Cranbrook, couldn’t run with the others but has since completed her own 10k.

The team set themselves a sponsorship target of £500 and Sian is confident they can reach their goal.

Alan Quick