Penyffordd man running Chester Marathon in aid of local autism charity

A Penyffordd man is set to take on an almighty task in this weekend in aid of a local autism charity.

Josh O’Brien will be running the the 2023 Chester Marathon on Sunday 8 October to raise funds for Your Space, an activity and social club for people aged between eight and 19 who are on the Autistic Spectrum. ‌

Josh took up running during the first covid lockdown in March 2020 to help improve his fitness and mental well-being.​‌‌​​​‌‍‌​‌​‌‌‌​‍‌​‌​‌‌​​‍‌​​‌‌‌‌​‍‌​​​​‌‌​‍‌​‌​‌​‌‌‍‌​​‌​‌‌‌‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​​​​‌‌​‍‌​‌‌‌‌‌​‍‌​​​‌‌​‌‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌​‌​‌‌‍‌​​‌​‌‌‌‍‌​​‌​‌‌​‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​​​‌​​‌‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​​​‌‌​​

As a new father, Josh explained he finds ways to fit his runs in whether it’s running last thing at night or first thing in the morning.

“Even when I am tired from a long day or I am about to start my day I always feel more alive having got a run in, it makes me feel more organised in my mind,” said Josh.

He decided to raise funds for Your Space, which is a charity that is close to his heart.

Josh said: “I’ve decided to run Chester Marathon (my first marathon!) on 8 October 2023 to raise funds for Wrexham based Your Space.

“Your Space is a charity close to me that supports young people with Autism along with their families.

“I believe the kind of support and opportunity they provide to the local community along with the surrounding areas is brilliant.

“This is with the addition of no diagnosis being needed to attend.”

Your Space provides provides high quality, engaging sports, social and arts activities and after school and holiday clubs for youngsters – as well as family swim nights, sibling Sundays and family days out. ‌​‌‌​​​‌‍‌​‌​‌‌‌​‍‌​‌​‌‌​​‍‌​​‌‌‌‌​‍‌​​​​‌‌​‍‌​‌​‌​‌‌‍‌​​‌​‌‌‌‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​​​​‌‌​‍‌​‌‌‌‌‌​‍‌​​​‌‌​‌‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌​‌​‌‌‍‌​​‌​‌‌‌‍‌​​‌​‌‌​‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​​​‌​​‌‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​​​‌‌​​

A Family Outreach Team also provides support to parents and carers alongside an in house counsellor. ‌

Your Space Fundraiser Andrew Edwards said: “Josh kindly approached ourselves out of the blue regarding running The 2023 Chester Marathon in June.

“We think that he is going to smash it on October 8!

“I also hear that Josh’s other big passion is music as he plays in a band called The Cazales.

“So, we hope that Josh hits the right note for us in his heroic fundraising endeavours at The 2023 Chester Marathon.”

You can donate to Josh’s fundraising page here.