A COUPLE are undertaking a gruelling challenge to raise money for a Woking charity in memory of their daughter who died hours after she was born.

Richard and Ann Fitzherbert are running 10 kilometres (six miles) or cycling 15km between them every day this month.

Half their sponsorship money will go to LinkAble, which supports adults and children with learning disabilities, and the rest is to the pregnancy and childbirth charity, Tommy’s.

Their daughter Elizabeth died shortly after she was born nearly 10 years go. They later discovered that she had Down Syndrome and this inspired Richard to become a trustee for LinkAble.

“I've seen all the great work that LinkAble do and the difference they make to the service users and their families,” he said.

“Of course, I wish that Elizabeth was here and could benefit from LinkAble, so it means a lot to help the charity help others instead.”

The Fitzherberts set themselves targets of £1,000 each, with Richard’s donations going to LinkAble and Ann’s to Tommy’s.

She has raised more than £1,300, while Richard exceeded £1,200 and has set a new target of £1,500.

They are having to schedule the cycling and running around their two children, aged four and six, and are doing a mix of early morning, lunchtime and evening outings.

Richard said: “We’ve both run marathons previously, but that was with bodies that were 15 years younger.

“Every time someone donates to the fundraiser, it’s helping to give me that push I need. Even though this challenge is incredibly physically demanding, just knowing what the money will achieve makes it completely worth it.”

LinkAble’s fundraising manager, Rhys Parker, commented: “We have a board of committed trustees who in recent years have taken on a variety of different fundraising activities.

“In an increasingly challenging fundraising environment, and with the cost of living crisis to fully play out, every donation to Richard and LinkAble will be used to continue our vital support for children and adults with learning disabilities in the local area.”

Richard and Ann will complete their challenge on Friday 30 September, which would have been Elizabeth’s 10th birthday.

To sponsor the couple’s feat, visit https://www.justgiving.com/team/month-of-running