Jo Forker

A Lichfield mother-of-two’s touching bid to raise money for a children’s charity which is close to her heart is underway.

Jo Forker, of Kings Bromley, has set herself the target of raising just under £2,000 for Action For Children by running the gruelling London Marathon this weekend.

Jo Forker
Jo Forker

It was the 42-year-old’s story of being adopted when she was just six-weeks-old into a loving family that saw Action for Children, formerly the National Children’s Home (NCH), snap up her application to take on the challenging feat in its name.

Although Jo is no stranger to half marathons, she has been juggling training for the marathon in the capital this Sunday with the launch of artisan gin business Ice and a Slice, at Elmhurst Business Park, with business partner Alex Mackenzie, as well as being the PTA chair of her children’s school.

Jo said: “I was born to a young mother in the early 70s in East London. She didn’t feel able to keep me so chose to put me up for adoption through what was then the National Children’s Home (NCH) in the hope that I would get a better opportunity in life.

“So, at six weeks old I was collected by a couple from Coventry, who weren’t able to have their own children naturally, and that’s where my better opportunity in life began.

“I am so very grateful for having the most amazing parents in the world. We are extremely close and I think all three of us would like to give something back to NCH, now Action for Children.”

Jo, who hopes to run the 36th London marathon in under four hours, added: “I have always enjoyed running, particularly longer distances –I’m not a sprinter!

“But it was after doing a couple of half marathons a few people suggested that I should do a full marathon, so I thought ‘why not?’.

“I told Action for Children my story and I was delighted that they snapped me up for one of their charity places.”

Jo needs to raise at least £1,900 for the charity and has so far raised money via social media and through her mother crocheting scarves and selling them at the WI.

A quiz night in early June is also planned to further boost her tally and Jo is now on the look-out for donations of raffle prizes.

To sponsor Jo visit http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/JoForker.

Founder of Lichfield Live and editor of the site.