The London Marathon last weekend was “a mind-blowing experience” for Gareth Bennett from Earlsfield.

Running in aid of drug and alcohol charity Addaction – which has a service in Wandsworth – Gareth (36) completed the marathon in 4 hours 27 minutes.

He said: “I did the London Marathon to mark the 10-year anniversary of my mum’s passing from alcohol-related causes. I wanted to do it in celebration of her life and to raise awareness.

“As a family, we struggled for many years and tried everything we could. My brother and I were left with feelings of guilt, anger, sadness and disappointment. Our mum was the most loving and beautiful mum we could have asked for until she had a drink. As I got older though, I realised that we need to separate the person from the addiction. I want to raise awareness around this and support those who are experiencing similar family situations. I believe the growth of charities like Addaction can make a huge difference to families and individuals, so I want to be part of making that happen.”

Gareth went on: “On the day of the marathon, I had a tough time running on the tarmac but after the pain subsided, I couldn’t actually believe I was part of something so amazing! To be able to raise money for a charity which will change the lives of others is a mind-blowing experience. There was also an unbelievable amount of support from everyone along the course. I absolutely loved it.”

Event director Hugh Brasher described the 2019 Virgin Money London Marathon (on Sunday 28 April) as the greatest in the event’s 38-year history, calling it “an extraordinary day of extraordinary performances put on by an amazing team”.

There’s still time to support Gareth’s fundraiser at https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/GarethBennett18