In 2025, inspirational John Butcher raised a wonderful £5,584, in support of Foyle Hospice, a charity that is close to his heart.

Having ran 101 marathons in total, John, who is a keen runner with Springwell Running Club, is no stranger to pounding the pavements for a good cause, including Foyle Hospice.

Speaking of his most recent challenge, John said: “I have had family members who have passed away with cancer and I like to support local so that’s why I chose Foyle Hospice.
“I didn’t know if anyone was going to turn up but I was amazed that a total of 99 runners showed up to support me across the 4 days. They were from different areas, including Eglinton, Coleraine, Ballycastle and Banbridge. This included my friends and family but also people I didn’t know who just wanted to help out for a good cause. I was amazed by the generosity.”

John continued: “The first two days were very hot but I just put my head down and got on with it.”

Speaking of the importance of supporting vital charities like Foyle Hospice, John said: “It takes thousands of pounds every day to run the hospice so it is very important that we support it. The hospice has helped so many people and it is a very good community asset to have – it would certainly be a shame to lose it.”

Foyle Hospice Events Fundraiser, Noel McMonagle, praised John’s support saying: “We are truly grateful for John’s dedication to Foyle Hospice throughout the years. We rely on support from the community and therefore people like John are the reason behind why Foyle Hospice has celebrated its 40^th anniversary.”

Noel went on to say: “If you would like to support our services, there are many different ways to get involved including fundraising, volunteering, taking part in our annual events and much more! Please get in touch with our fundraising office for more information. Every pound makes a difference to Foyle Hospice. Together we care.”