A KIRKBYMOORSIDE woman is gearing up for the London Marathon with a series of fundraising events.

Nicola Ward, 37, will be running in the marathon on April 22 on behalf of the charity Hospice UK, which supports local hospices such as Saint Catherine’s and St Leonard’s.

Nicola, who works at Kirkbymoorside surgery, has family here in Yorkshire and up in Scotland.

She said: “That’s why I wanted to do it for a national charity. Hospices play such a big part in people’s lives. I see the difference that places like Saint Catherine’s and St Leonard’s make to our patients and their families.”

To fundraise for Hospice UK, she will be putting on events like an 80s disco at the Moorside Bar at 7.30pm on February 16 and a bake sale in Kirkbymoorside on March 28.

“I’ve been blown over by the support I’ve received,” she said, adding a big thank you to local business for donating prizes and selling tickets. “I really appreciate it,” she said.

Nicola, who did the Three Peaks in 2016, hasn’t run a marathon before, and was put out of action for six weeks with an injury before Christmas. But she added training is back on track and she is running a trail half at Bolton Abbey.

To donate, go to Virgin Money Giving and search Nicola Ward.