SUPPORT SISTERS’ MARATHON EFFORT FOR CROSSROADS CHARITY
Richmond-based sisters Joanna, 27 and Ella Tilley 25, are running the London Marathon 2026 for Crossroads Care, the local charity which supports unpaid carers and those they look after.
As part of their training, they will be doing the Old Deer Parkrun on Saturday 14th Feb.
The pair have already raised £4000 from twenty seven supporters.
The charity is inviting people to cheer the runners on or run an extra mile for carers after the race or indeed run the entire 5K.
All of the sisters’ efforts are in loving memory of their dad Clive who sadly lost his life to pulmonary fibrosis a year ago.
Crossroads supported the family during Clive’s final weeks, making this cause particularly close to their hearts.
Old Deer Parkrun also holds special significance for the family.
Clive was the Director of Old Deer Parkrun, a passionate runner and the person who inspired his daughters’ love of running. He also ran the London Marathon in 2008.
The Crossroads team will be meeting at 8.30am before the run near the parkrun start in Old Deer Park – south of the Pools in the Park carparkhttps://www.parkrun.org.uk/olddeerpark/course/L
Supportive charity members will also be mingling with runners at the outdoor cafe adjacent to the park after the run.
The Tilley sisters’ fundraising page is here which gives more background on the story: https://2026tcslondonmarathon.enthuse.com/pf/joannaandella
Their story:
On 26 April 2026 we will be hitting the streets of London to tackle the 26.2 miles of the TCS London Marathon in memory of our Dad, Clive and in support of Crossroads Care, Richmond and Kingston.
Dad ran the London Marathon himself in 2008 in 4hrs 19 minutes – but far from making it a competition, honestly we will just be pleased to get round! Running the London marathon was just one of his many sporting achievements that has inspired us to follow in his footsteps, even though for him doing parkrun on a Saturday morning was achievement enough for anyone.
Dad always encouraged us to give everything in life a go, especially when it came to getting active! He loved the sense of community that running brought, and we know he would have been so proud of us for attempting this run. Without a doubt, he would have been the first to share his tips and do everything he could to support our training. In the short amount of time that Dad spent with his Crossroads carers, they all heard about how proud he was that we were keens runners.
In January 2025 we lost Dad to Pulmonary Fibrosis, a rare but fatal condition which causes scar tissue to develop on the lungs. He was only 57, and should have had many more races to run. Pulmonary fibrosis worsens over time and the lung damage it causes cannot be repaired. Dad kept going for as long as he could, incredibly cycling up Mount Ventoux in the July 2024 (maybe with the help of an e-bike), however eventually he became dependent on supplementary oxygen, wheelchairs and a stairlift was fitted in the house due to the breathlessness.
In the last weeks care became increasingly demanding, and we were so grateful for the support we received from the brilliant team at Crossroads Richmond and Kingston. Having to care for someone you love is physically and emotionally exhausting, so having support from the Crossroads team was vital.
We would love your support to further the impact of this local charity who do so much for carers in the community.