BBK team battles cramps and shin splints in half marathon challenge for Horatio’s Garden
At BBK, we value teamwork and commitment—qualities that served us well as we recently took on a half marathon challenge in support of Horatio’s Garden. Looking back on the experience, we’re thrilled not only with the funds we raised but with the incredible journey that brought us closer together and to a cause that matters greatly to us.
On 13th October, we laced up for two half-marathon challenges. Rhiannon, Vicky, and Hawre tackled the Royal Parks Half Marathon in London in aid of Horatio’s Garden London & South East, while Charlotte, Henry, and Alex took on the Oxford Half Marathon in support of Horatio’s Garden Stoke Mandeville. Two cities, six runners, and countless blisters—all for a truly worthy cause!
About Horatio’s Garden
Horatio’s Garden creates stunning, restorative gardens in NHS spinal injury centres across the UK, offering people  tranquil and nurturing spaces for rehabilitation during  often lengthy stays in clinical settings.
These gardens are more than just green spaces – they provide a sanctuary where people  can engage in therapeutic gardening, participate in arts and crafts, and connect with nature to find moments of solace  and reflection.
As regional partners for Horatio’s Garden at Stoke Mandeville and London & South East, we’re honoured to be able to contribute to keeping these vital havens flourishing.
Fundraising efforts, from lunches to creative workshops
Our journey to race day wasn’t just about logging training miles.
We kicked off our fundraising with a fantastic lunch event at BBK’s offices, where the spinal injury team prepared a homemade buffet featuring dishes from around the world.
From Polish pierogi to Mediterranean salads, colleagues joined in for delicious food and the chance to contribute to our fundraising goal. Thanks to everyone who participated, our lunch event was a huge success and helped us to kick-start our fundraising.
We also organised a unique workshop where our external guests including from No 5 Chambers and Farrar’s Building, were invited to experience one of the art therapies that Horatio’s Garden offers to people in the garden. .
They joined us for a hands-on mono-printing session and quickly everyone immersed themselves in the process, uncovering a new artistic side to our typically legal-focused minds! The session has left us all with an even deeper appreciation for the charity’s work
Training together: balancing work and running shoes
For many of us, preparing for a half marathon was a new challenge, and we took it on while balancing our busy task lists and diaries.
Throughout weeks of early mornings and late evenings, we each put in countless hours training, driven by our commitment to raise as much money as possible for Horatio’s Garden.
Henry, for example, would often run four miles to the office and back, turning his commute into a mini marathon, sometimes several times a week.
Other team members, like Hawre and Alex, had never run a half marathon before but we persevered, cheering each other on as we worked to get in top shape.
Rhiannon didn’t just log running miles—she added swim miles, boosting her stamina with laps even in the Croatian heat.
Meanwhile, Alex kept up her training under Portugal’s scorching sun, proving not even a holiday (or a heatwave) could slow her down
Race day: sunshine, cheers, and personal triumphs
Race day finally arrived, blessing both teams with ideal weather and a crowd whose cheers kept us going strong. A good supply of jelly babies gave us that extra push, fuelling us through each mile.
At the Oxford Half Marathon, Charlotte, Henry, and Alex took on the course under clear skies, while at the Royal Parks Half Marathon, Rhiannon, Vicky, and Hawre were motivated by London’s beautiful park scenery.
Charlotte blew past her time expectations, powering through a shin injury from overtraining—proof of her unstoppable commitment!
Hawre faced unexpected leg cramps but pushed through, finishing strong with Rhiannon’s and Vicky’s support. Each of us crossed the finish line with a mix of pride, relief, and a real sense of accomplishment.
Our efforts
Our team’s efforts paid off beyond our expectations.
Not only did we meet our time goals, but we also surpassed our fundraising target raising a total of £3,948!
These funds will go directly to Horatio’s Garden, contributing towards the costs for the two gardens.
We hope these small contributions will help Horatio’s Garden to continue their wonderful work.
Looking ahead: continuing our partnership with Horatio’s Garden
We’re grateful to everyone who donated, cheered us on, or participated in our events—our efforts wouldn’t have been possible without you.
As regional partners for Horatio’s Garden at Stoke Mandeville and London & South East, we are already looking forward to getting involved in other events supporting the charity in every way possible.
