A MOTHER of three from the North East will be the only runner representing and raising funds for an international charity when she takes part in the London Marathon.

Lesley Parratt, from Spennymoor, County Durham, has been allocated the only place offered to the Mothers’ Union to participate in the run on April 22.

The 58-year-old aims to raise money for a range of projects backed by the Mothers’ Union, a global Christian charity that seeks to support families worldwide.

Mrs Parratt divides her time between her family home in Spennymoor and taking care of her 90-year-old widowed father, retired priest Rev George Moody, at Marske-by-the-Sea, near Redcar.

She said: “I'm shocked and excited to be the only official MU participant in the race.

“I need to raise £2,000 so I have called the challenge The MU Magic 26.

“Why? Because there are 26 miles in a marathon.”

The 58-year-old, who has twice taken part in the Great North Run, hopes to raise funds for a variety of projects supported by the Mothers’ Union.

She is particularly keen to raise awareness of its Gender-Based Violence (GBV) project which serves in communities at home and abroad.

Around the world, members speak out on this issue from sensitively educating small communities, in a bid to end social norms which have made violence normal and accepted, to challenging global governments to tackle gender-based violence through the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women.

Projects have included community engagement, counselling, radio talk shows to raise awareness and practical support for women sexually abused as a result of civil conflict.

Sponsored by her own Mothers’ Union branch at Marske-by-the-Sea, she has turned to groups across the region to raise £26 each and has appealed for at least 26 individuals to raise £26 from friends and neighbours.

Mrs Parratt began training on New Year's Day with a six mile run from St Paul's Church, in Spennymoor, to Durham Cathedral, and has since doubled the distance with a training run to a Durham Mothers’ Union service at the cathedral and back home again.

This month she plans to complete a 20 mile run in Redcar’s Locke Park with New Marske Harriers. She can often be seen jogging alongside her father's electric mobility carriage along the sea front between Marske and Redcar.

She said: “I am reminded of the hymn Take my Life and Let it Be, the second verse sings of 'take my feet and let them be, swift and beautiful for thee'. I'll try.”

To support Mrs Parratt visit the website stmarks-marske.co.uk