A FAIRY Godmother hopes to make children's wishes come true as she tackles her first London Marathon.

Sian Short, 42, of Taylors View, Trowbridge, is running in this year's event to raise funds for the Wish Upon a Star charity, which grants wishes for terminally ill children. She said: "I only took up running at the age of 36 and this will be my first full marathon."

Mrs Short, an area services manager for MENCAP, has run in the Bath and Bristol half marathons and hopes to raise £1,000 in sponsorship for the London event.

Other runners from across west and north Wiltshire are also gearing to take part in the race, to be held on April 23. Dom and Caroline Tye, from Christian Malford, near Chippenham, are running in aid of the Multiple Sclerosis Society, a cause close to their hearts as Mr Tye suffers from the debilitating condition.

Robin Page, 53, from Bristol, is putting on his running shoes to raise money for and awareness of an incurable lung condition suffered by his friend Teresa Hewat, from Bradford on Avon. The disorder, known as LAM, means Ms Hewat has to spend 17 hours a day on oxygen and Mr Page is raising money for the charity LAM Action. He said: "LAM is a rare disease which attracts little funding so my efforts are, I hope, a significant way of helping."

Jill Brown, from Calne, is preparing to run in her second London marathon to raise money for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust. She chose the charity because her four-year-old niece, Abigail, has the life-threatening inherited disease.

She said: "When Abigail was diagnosed with CF her dad and I took up running to raise funds for the trust."

Thousands of runners of all ages and abilities will take part in the Flora London Marathon.

  • Anyone wishing to sponsor Mrs Short can contact her on (01225) 775163.
  • Mr and Mrs Tye can be contacted on (01249) 723878.
  • For sponsorship details for Mr Page visit www.justgiving.com/robinpage
  • For Ms Brown www.justgiving.com/JillBrown

Duncan Travers, of Whiterow Gift and Garden Centre, in Beckington, is running the marathon to raise money for Aggrey Mayende, a Ugandan school teacher who hasn't been paid for a year.

Duncan aims to raise enough money for Aggrey to build a house for his family and provide him with a year's wages.

  • If you can sponsor him, call him on 07738933033.