insideSUSSEX Magazine Issue 13 - March 2016 | Page 10

NEWS WORTHING WOMAN TO RUN 100KM FOR MILITARY CHARITY A woman from Worthing is set to run 100km from London to Brighton this July for Blind Veterans UK, the national charity for visually-impaired ex-service men and women. Andrea Gharsallah, 53, only started running 20 months ago and has already completed five marathons including one in London and one in New York. Now, she wants to take on a challenge while fundraising for a worthy cause. Andrea works as a carer and, among others she has cared for, were Second World War veterans, one of whom was partially sighted. She found them and their stories inspiring and felt it would be great to give back to a charity that supports veterans. Although Andrea hasn’t run for charity before, she has chosen to run 100km for Blind Veterans UK. “I knew Blind Veterans UK had a centre in Brighton, but I didn’t realise the extent of their support, or that they rely completely on voluntary donations,” she said. “I’m happy to contribute, so they can continue their excellent support of visually-impaired veterans.” The London to Brighton 100km challenge is Blind Veterans UK’s biggest annual fundraiser and takes participants from a starting point in south west London, along the banks of the Thames, through countryside paths in Surrey, Sussex and the North and South Downs, to the charity’s centre in Ovingdean, Brighton. To support Andrea as she takes on the Blind Veterans UK 100k, please visit www.justgiving.com/andrea-gharsallah1. To sign up for the Blind Veterans UK 100k, please visit www.blindveterans.org.uk/100k. DOUBLE AWARD SUCCESS FOR EASTBOURNE IN VISITENGLAND AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE Following on from big award success late last year, Eastbourne Tourist Information Centre and Eastbourne’s International airshow, Airbourne, have both been announced as winners of VisitEngland Awards for Excellence, the most highly regarded tourism awards in the country. The news comes less than two months after Airbourne was awarded gold in the category of ‘Tourism Event of the Year’ at the Beautiful South Awards, and the Tourist Information Centre was awarded silver in the