Leeds colleagues raise £750 for Yorkshire Cancer Research after completing half marathon

Two Leeds colleagues have raised £750 for Yorkshire Cancer Research after completing the Sheffield Half Marathon.

Ross Galbraith and Matthew Leonard, who work for Hawkswell Kilvington Construction Solicitors, completed the 13.1-mile distance to raise funds to help people with cancer in Yorkshire after it was selected as their law firm’s charity of the year.

Yorkshire Cancer Research funds pioneering cancer research to help more people survive cancer, in Yorkshire and beyond. The funds raised by Ross and Matthew help to continue funding this vital work.

Matthew said: “The run was great, and there was brilliant support the whole way round. We both did really well, and Ross even got a personal best.”

The team at Hawkswell Kilvington have been fundraising for Yorkshire Cancer Research for the past year, and it is a charity that is close to many colleagues’ hearts.

Matthew continued: “As colleagues, we chose to support Yorkshire Cancer Research and it was nice to be able to do the race as part of that. The vast majority of people who work for the firm probably know someone who has been affected by cancer."

Ross and Matthew have both taken on their fair share of physical challenges, having done several half marathons each, but it was Ross’ first time taking on the hilly Sheffield route.

Ross said: “I lived in Sheffield for eight years, so I’ve got a real affinity for the area. I’d never done the Sheffield Half Marathon, so when the opportunity came up to do the race for Yorkshire Cancer Research, it felt like the perfect opportunity.

“I’ve done a few half marathons before but this felt like a really iconic one, especially getting to start in the city centre but also run out into the Peak District.”

Matthew added: “I went to University in Sheffield and I’ve now lived here for over 20 years. I’ve done the Sheffield Half Marathon a few times, and the first time I did it, the route started at Don Valley. The route we did this year is much more scenic, but with all the hills it’s one of the most challenging half marathons I’ve done.”

The duo trained hard in advance of the event, using their lunchbreaks as an opportunity to run together.

Matthew said: “We went out together at lunchtime to try and get a few miles in, especially after Christmas when we were trying to get our miles up week on week.”

Colleagues at Hawkswell Kilvington have been supporting Ross and Matthew, as well as raising funds for Yorkshire Cancer Research in a variety of creative ways, including competing in a ‘dragon boat race’ and taking on a walking challenge as part of the charity’s annual ‘Step Out for Yorkshire’ campaign.

The funds raised by Matthew and Ross, along with the money raised by Hawkswell Kilvington throughout the year, will go towards world-leading cancer research in Yorkshire.