A group of student researchers from the ÃÛÌÒÖ±²¥ are running a half marathon in aid of a missing persons charity.
PhD students taking on Cardiff Half Marathon
PhD students Andrea Tapia, Eya Meddeb, Isobel Dawes and Nathan Stephens are taking on the Cardiff Half Marathon this Sunday (October 6). The group have already raised £600 for Missing People but hope to double that.
Andrea, 40, and Eya, 32, both of Worcester, and Isobel, 31, of Severn Stoke, have not previously been runners, but have been scheduling training around their thesis writing. On the other hand, 30-year-old Nathan, of Malvern, runs regularly and has done ultra marathons, including one of 87 miles.
“Now we’re getting closer I do feel a bit terrified,” said Isobel. “I have never done anything like that, I’m not a sporty person. But it’s meant to be a really good atmosphere with entertainment and music, and I hope the crowd will help.”
Andrea’s studies are in environmental science, in particular assessing bumblebee habitat quality, while Eya’s research is focused on computer science. Nathan is doing a PhD in social care, focused on community support for those living with dementia, while Isobel, whose PhD is in education, is looking at teachers’ relationships with their peers.
The four students became friends through doing their PhD studies and often doing their work at the University at the same time. In addition, with Andrea originally from Costa Rica and Eya from Tunisia, they enjoy going round each other’s’ houses to sample cuisine from different countries.
The idea for the half marathon came about through Eya’s desire to take on a running challenge while completing her PhD. Her friends decided to join her and fundraise.
Missing People is the only UK charity dedicated to reconnecting missing people and their loved ones. It offers support to people affected by a disappearance via a free helpline and can launch a publicity appeal to help bring missing people home, provide family support, counselling and specialist services.
Isobel said: “On the [charity’s] website they have a list of people currently missing. It reports that someone goes missing in the UK every 90 seconds. They can offer vital support to families raising awareness of missing people because I can imagine resources are quite costly. Even though they [the families] would do that anyway, at least Missing People offers an additional means of support, awareness and expertise.
Eya said: “It does offer support for the families and I think that’s important. That’s hard to have someone missing, someone close to you who you are used to seeing every day. You don’t know, you keep looking.”
To donate to the group’s challenge, visit the .